in Buncome County, North- Carolina^ 123- 



with propriety, that each quart of water contains about ten 

 grains of fixed product. 



2. The whole amount (28 grains) was put into a small glass 

 bottle, and alcohol poured on, to the depth of an inch. This 

 mixture was frequently shaken, and stood for twenty hours. 



3. It was then carefully filtered, washed with more al- 

 cohol, and the filter dried by a regular and moderate heat 

 The powder separated from the filter, was weighed, and 

 amounted to twenty-three grains, and as the filter which had 

 been weighed both before and after use, appeared to retain 

 one graiuj the quaniity taken up by the alcohol, may be es= 

 timated at four grains. 



4. A small portion of the alcoholic solution was dilute^ 

 with water, and tested with sulphuric acid and with a solu- 

 tion of copper ; but as no effect resulted, it may be conclu- 

 ded that neither barytes nor ammonia were present. 



5. The remainder of the alcoholic solution was evapora- 

 ted, but an accidental fracture of the evaporating vessel pre- 

 vented the ascertaining of the nature of the residuum. 



6. The portion (23 grains) which the alcohol did not take 

 up, was then mixed with eight times its weight of distilled 

 water and stood for forty eight hours. 



7. This mixture was then filtered, dried and weighed. 

 The residue was seventeen grains, so that six grains must 

 have been dissolved by the water. 



8. This watery solution was then evaporated, and the 

 residue being re-dissolved in water, was tested as follows : 

 Nitrate of barytes gave a white cloud, so did carbonate of 

 soda. Oxalate of ammonia produced a thick white cloud. 

 Nitrate of silver had no effect. It may be inferred then, 

 that these six grains were principally sulphate of Magnesia, 

 and that a small portion of sulphate of lime was also pres- 

 ent. 



9. Ten grains of the seventeen, that were not dissolved 

 in solution (6) were mixed with ten ounces of cold, dis- 

 tilled water, and boiled for some hours. On filtering and 

 drying, the undissolved residue was between one and two 

 grains, so that nearly the whole of these ten grains was prob- 

 ably sulphate of lime. 



10. A portion of the preceding clear solution was tested 

 as follows : Oxalic acid produced a white cloud slowly ; but 

 oxalate of ammonia, au immediate and thick white cloud. 



