ON CHEMISTRY. 
6 
and Oxide of iron ; it also will take up alumine (clay,) but in very- 
small quantity, unless a long continued beat be applied. 
The muriatic acid of the shops if good, ought to be of 1180 or 
1200 specific gravity—compared with distilled water of 1000—that 
is, supposing any given measure of pure distilled water to weigh one 
ounce, one pound, or any other unit; good muriatic acid should in 
the same bulk, weigh one ounce, pound, &c, and about one-fifth 
more; but this is too strong to operate with ; it therefore is to be di¬ 
luted with twice its volume of rain water. A quantity of this diluted 
acid being ready-, the two quantities of the soil, each of 180 grains, 
are to be disposed of: one in a four-ounce phial with a widish neck, 
the other in an evaporating basin, or in a florence oil flask. Place 
the phial in a scale, and by its side in the same scale, put another 
phial, or measure glass, containing 360 grains of the reduced mu¬ 
riatic acid, weigh the two bottles and their contents, with great pre¬ 
cision ; note the weight, and let the bottles and weights remain in the 
scales. Prepare the same quantity of dilute acid for the other 180 
grains of soil, and then proceed thus : pour some of this last parcel 
of acid into the basin or flask, stir or shake the contents, and observe 
whether much hissing, (effervescence,) with frothy bubbles be pro¬ 
duced. If there be, the presence of much chalk is ascertained, and 
caution indicated, while operating with the substances in the scale. 
When it is found that the liquid will not be carried over the side of 
the vessel by the force of effervescence, all the acid of the second par¬ 
cel may be added, and the mixture left to digest for two hours; it 
should, however, be stirred two or three times with a strip of glass, or 
be shaken, if in a glass flask. 
The required caution being pointed out, the phials in the scale are 
to be attended to. Into that containing the soil, drop very gradually, 
or pour in more freely (according to the indication of the process 
above described,) some of the diluted acid of the other phial. Agi¬ 
tate the contents after every- addition, always observing that none of 
the mixture be forced out of the phial. This caution must ever be 
attended to in chemical experiments, and therefore, I am desirous to 
' impress it upon the mind of a young experimenter: a little prac¬ 
tice will soon bring on a habit of circumspection. The whole of the 
acid having been decanted from one phial into the other, and the 
contents being thoroughly mixed by the requisite agitations, the 
phials are to remain side by side in one scale, and the balancing- 
weights in the other. Let the mixture be occasionally shaken till 
it he evident that no farther bubbles or effervescence can be excited, 
and then let it stand till two hours have passed. Both parcels have 
