386 Foreign Literature and Science. 



try this matter. The minister has refused to accede to this 

 request, on the ground that the theory is purely speculative, 

 and not supported by any direct or positive experiments. 



It may be observed however, that a great number of facts 

 and experiments, ancient and recent, such as the production 

 of ammonia by the azote of the air, &c. appears to justify 

 the theory of M. Longchamps. T. Graham, in an article 

 in the Philosophical Mag. (March 1827,) adopts this theory 

 with the following addition : he thinks that the carbonic 

 acid of the air, being dissolved as well as this air, in the hygro- 

 metric water of the porous carbonate of lime, reacts upon 

 the latter salt, and dissolves a part of it ; that this solution 

 of lime, being in the presence of oxygen and azote, is favor- 

 ably situated for the production of nitrate of lime. He cites, 

 in support of this, the experiments of Thouvenel, and he 

 thinks that the putrefaction of organic matter, by the pro- 

 duction of carbonic acid, favours, to a great extent, the pro- 

 gress of nitrification. — Ibid. 



25. New Compounds of Bromine. — M. Serullas has discov- 

 ered, that bromine becomes solid at a temperature between 

 18° and 20° (cent.) below zero. At 20° it is very hard and 

 brittle. In putting two parts of bromine in contact with 

 one of hydrioduret of carbon, there was a sudden formation 

 of bromuret of iodine and hydro-carburet of bromine. 

 These can be separated by means of water, which dissolves 

 the first only. The second, washed with a weak solution of 

 potash, is a colorless liquid, denser than water, with a pene- 

 trating and ethereal odour, an excessively sweet taste, and 

 very volatile. It was this product that M. Balard obtained, 

 by thrpwing a drop of bromine into a flask full of defiant 

 was. The hydro-carburet of bromine is solid between 5 6 

 and 6° cent, above zero. It is then hard and brittle like 

 camphor. 



The author obtained hydro-bromic ether, by putting into 

 a retort forty parts of strong alcohol, one of phosphorus, 

 and then seven or eight of brome. The action is very rapid. 

 The distilled liquor being diluted with water, leaves, at the 

 bottom hydro-bromic ether, in a separate state. It is color- 

 less, heavier than water, of a strong ethereal odour, and pun- 

 gent taste, soluble in alcohol, and insoluble in water. 

 3 One part of bromine, added to two parts of cyanuret of 

 mercury, gives bromuret of mercury and cyanuret of bro- 



