AGRICULTURE WITH CHEMISTRY. 43 



taming much vegetable matter ; part of which is dissipated 

 in a gassious state, and part combines with the lime, form^ 

 ing insoluble compounds, which cannot promote vege- 

 tation, until brought into adion by other saline substances, 

 either on the principle of superior affinity, or on that of 

 the double electric attractions, as will be explained in the 

 sequel of this work. 



CHALK, ORUNCALCINED CALCAREOUS MATTER. 



CHALK has not the same power as lime in destroying 

 the texture of organic bodies, because it is saturated with 

 fixable air: it has, however, an action on these sub- 

 stances, or more properly speaking, these substances 

 have an action on chalk, so soon as by oxygenation their 

 respective acids are generated; in which case they will 

 combine with the chalk, and form the nearly insoluble 

 saline compounds, already described. By the action of 



F a these 



