WATER. 



this ftate, when properly confined, it is of great ufe and ap- 

 plication for a variety of purpofes. See Steam. 



It is found, however, that water, when heated in an open 

 vefTel, acquires no more than a certain determinate propor- 

 tion or degree of heat, whatfoever may be the intenfity or 

 the length of continuance of the fire to which it is expofed ; 

 which greateft proportion or degree of it is when it boils in 

 the completeft: manner. The degree of heat, however, 

 which is necefiary to make water boil perfectly, is va- 

 riable, according as the purity of the water, and the weight 

 of the atmofphere, may happen to be. A knowledge of this 

 mav be of confiderable utility and benefit in the application 

 of heat to this fluid, in a number of operations, as tending 

 to fave time, trouble, and the confumption of fuel. 



The ready penetrability and feparability of water from 

 the bodies with which it may have united, as well as its pro- 

 perties and powers of cohcfion, folution, and coagulation, 

 render it ftill more extenfively^applicable and ufeful on many 

 occafions. 



Water is a fluid which, in popular language, is dif- 

 tinguifhed into many different kinds, according to the 

 quahties of it, and the circumftances under which it 

 makes its appearance, or is found (fee the preceding 

 article Water) ; as freJJi water, or that which is per- 

 feftly infipid, without any faline or other tafle, and ino- 

 dorous, being that which is the natural and pure ftate of 

 water : in this ftate, it is well fitted for molt forts of domef- 

 tic as well as many other ufes : hard water, or that in which 

 foap does not completely or uniformly diffolve and difFufe 

 itfelf, but appears in a fort of curdled or coagulated ftate : 

 it is certain from this that the diffolving power of hard water 

 is lefs than that of foft ; and that hence it is lefs fit for 

 wafhing, bleaching, dyeing, boiling culinary vegetables, wa- 

 tering plants and trees, and many other purpofes. It is, 

 for the moft part, found, that the hardnefs of water pro- 

 ceeds either from faline matters, or from the prefence of 

 gas. The hardnefs which arifes from faline matters may 

 moilly be difcovered and removed by the addition of fmall 

 quantities, as a few drops, of a folution of fixed alkaH ; 

 and that which is caufed by the latter byboiling, or ex- 

 pofure to the open air for fome length of time. That the 

 waters of fprings are hard ; but thofe of rivers foft. That 

 hard waters are remarkably indifpofed to corrupt ; they 

 even preferve putrefcible fubftances for a confiderable length 

 of time ; hence they would feem to be beft fitted for keep- 

 ing, efpecially as they are fo eafily capable of being foften- 

 ed by a very little of the alkaline folution being added to 

 them. Putrid water is that which has acquired an offenfive 

 fmell and tafte by the putrefcence of the animal or vegeta- 

 ble fubftances which are contained in it. This fort of water 

 is of a very pernicious quality, and quite unfit for any pur- 

 pofe. Cauftic lime, when put into water, is ufeful in pre- 

 ferving it longer in a fweet ftate ; and even expofure to the 

 air in broad Ihallow veftels has the fame effeft. And water 

 in this putrid ftate may be, in a great meafure, rendered 

 fweet by having a current of fre(h air paiTed through it, from 

 the bottom to the top. Water in this condition is, of courfe, 

 always to be avoided, except for the purpofe of manure, 

 for which, in fome cafes, it is of great ufe. i?a/n-water, 

 or that which may be confidered as a pure fort of diftilled 

 ■water, but as impregnated during its paffage through the 

 air with a confiderable quantity of putrefcent matter, 

 whence, in fome meafure, its great fuperiority to any 

 other in fertilizing the earth or foil, as well as in promoting 

 the growth of trees and plants. Whence too its inferiority 

 for fome domeftic purpofes to that of the fpring or river 

 Jtind, even where it can be readily and well procured ; but, 

 9 



more efpecially, fuch as is coUefted and gotten from fpouts, 

 trunks, and other contrivances put below the roofs of 

 houfes and other buildings, which are the ufual modes of 

 procuring it in this country, which is obvioufly very impure, 

 and in a fhort time become? in the putrid ftate. From its foft- 

 nefs, it, however, anfwers well in fome ufes, after it has 

 become pretty pure by ftanding. i?(Wr-water, or that 

 which is next in purity to that of fnow, or the diftilled kind, 

 and which, for moft domeftic and fome other ufes, is fupe- 

 rior to either of them, as having lefs putrefcent matter, and 

 more fixed air, or carbonic acid gas in it. Of this water, 

 that, however, which runs over a clean, rocky, ftony, or 

 gravelly bottom, is by much the pureft. River-waters, in 

 general, are found to putrefy fooner than thofe of fprings ; 

 and that during their putrefaftion they throw off a part of 

 the extraneous matter they contain, and at length become 

 fweet again, and purer than in their firft ftate ; after which 

 they will commonly preferve fweet a great length of time ; 

 this is particularly the cafe with fome river-water, as that of 

 the Thames. It is this fortof water that is fo extenfively ufe- 

 ful in improving grafs-lands, when thrown over them in a pro- 

 per manner. See Watering Land, and Water Meadonu. 

 There are fome other forts of water, 3sfa!t water, or that 

 which contains large portions of fait in it, fo as to be fenfi- 

 ble to the tafte. This is of moft ufe in the preparation of 

 that fubftance from it, but may perhaps be applicable in 

 fome other ways, i'fj-water, or that which is a fort of an 

 aftemblage of bodies or fubftances, in which this fluid may 

 be faid to have barely the principal part : it is, in ftiort, an 

 univerfal coUeftion of moft of the matters in nature, fuftained 

 and kept fwimming in this fluid as a medium or vehicle : 

 being a diffufe folutjon of various fubftances, as common fait, 

 bitter cathartic fait, different other faline matters, and a 

 compound of muriatic acid with magnefia, mixed and blended 

 together in a variety of proportions. It is capable of being 

 frefliened by fimple diftillation, without any addition ; and 

 is about three parts in a hundred heavier than common 

 water ; the temperature of it at great depths being from 

 thirty to forty degrees ; but near the furface it follows the 

 temperature of tke air more nearly. It is probable, from 

 fome trials lately made with it, that it may be ufeful when 

 applied to land in fome cafes. Its greater weight and other 

 properties would feem to be favourable for this in fome in- 

 tentions. It is the muddy material conveyed in the ftate of 

 diffufion in this water, which is found fo beneficial in th£ 

 warping of land in fome cafes and fituations. (See Warp- 

 ing of Land. ) i'noai-water, or that which is the pureft 

 of all the common waters, when the fnow has been coUefted 

 in its pure ftate, and kept in a dry place, in clean glafs 

 veflTels, not clofely ftopped,but covered from duft and other 

 fuch matters ; this water becomes in time putrid, although 

 in well-ftopped bottles it will continue unaltered for feveral 

 years ; but diililled water undergoes no alteration in either 

 circumftance. Snow-water will be feen below to be ufeful 

 in promoting the nutrition of plants. Sfiring-wnter, or that 

 which is commonly impregnated with fome forts of mate- 

 rials or other, as a fmall portion of imperfetl neutral fait 

 extrafted and taken up from the diff'erent ftrata through 

 which it paffes and percolates ; great quantities of ftony 

 matter, which are depofited as it runs along, and large 

 maft^es of ftone thus formed, fometimes too incrullating dif- 

 ferent fubftances of the animal and vegetable kmds, which 

 it is faid to petrify. Spring-water is much ufed for domef- 

 tic purpofes in many cafes, and on account of its coolnefs 

 and clearnefs forms a fuitable drink for man and animals ; 

 but from its being ufually fomewhat hard, is inferior iu 

 fome intentions to that which has run a confiderable diftance 



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