the Dead Sea and the River Jordan . 303 
than the solution really contained. The quantity of common 
salt was tolerably accurate. 
2. From another similar solution the lime was precipitated 
by oxalat of ammonia ; the magnesia was separated by heat 
in an open crucible, and the common salt was obtained, as before, 
by evaporation and exposure to a low red heat. The result 
was satisfactory both as to the lime and magnesia ; but as the 
separation of the latter could only be completed by long con- 
tinued heat, in an open vessel, I found the muriat of soda 
materially reduced by sublimation, and was therefore obliged 
to abandon this mode of proceeding. 
3. From a third artificial solution, the lime was precipitated 
by oxalat of ammonia, the magnesia by carbonat of ammonia 
recently prepared, and the sea salt was obtained as usual by 
evaporation and desiccation in a low red heat. The object of 
this mode of operating was to supersede the necessity of ap- 
plying a red heat in the first instance. But I was again disap- 
pointed; for the magnesia was but imperfectly precipitated; 
and in order to separate the last portions of this earth, it was 
necessary to calcine the last residue containing the muriat of 
soda, which gave rise to the same objections as in the former 
experiments. 
4. The last and. most successful method consisted in divid- 
ing the artificial solution into two portions. From one of these 
the muriatic acid was precipitated by nitrat of silver, and its 
quantity ascertained. From the other the lime was separated 
by oxalat of ammonia, and the magnesia by caustic potash;* 
* Or by carbonat of ammonia. In .this case the precipitation of magnesia is not so 
perfect; but the precipitate falls down more quickly, and the separation of any re- 
maining portion of this earth may be ultimately completed by heat. r 
R r 2 
