WATER  OF  THE    DELAWARE  RIVER. 
429 
ranged  so  as  to  admit  of  a  comparison  between  the  composition 
of  the  river  and  the  springs. 
RIVER.  SPRINGS. 
Grains  in  one  gallon  of  58.372 
Whole  solid  matter  found, 
3.534581 
3.607750 
Carbonate  of  lime,     ....  1.300000   
Carbonate  of  magnesia,      .       .         .  .889972  
Carbonate  of  potash,         .       .         .  .172471   
Chlorid  of  sodium,           .       .         .  .106834  1.021225 
Chlorid  of  potassium,        .        .         .  .012190  __ 
Sulphate  of  lime,             .       .         .  .185847  .009233 
Phosphate  of  lime,          .       .         ,  .142338  .144659 
Silica,  497587  .755894 
Sesquioxyd  of  iron,  with  trace  of  Alumina,  .027453  .126778 
( Lime,   .277662 
In  combination  with  the  silica  |  Magnesia,   .355620 
and  organic  matter,         j  Potash,  - —   .493059 
LSoda-,    .173518 
Oxyd  of  manganese,         .        .         .  trace.  -  
Carbonic  acid,          ...         .           ■  — -  trace. 
Organic  matter  containing  ammonia    .  .634852  .558312 
Specific  gravity,       ....  1.00071  .99972 
The  specific  gravity  of  the  Reservoir  water  was  1.00064. 
On  comparison  of  this  analysis  of  the  waters  of  the  Delaware 
with  other  analyses  of  river  waters,  the  fact  is  rendered  apparent 
that  few  rivers  exist  whose  waters  are  so  free  from  impurity.  All 
causes  of  complaint  which  have  arisen  are  due  to  the  improper 
mode  of  storing  the  water  for  use.  Open  reservoirs,  in  which 
the  water  is  kept  star  ding  for  several  days  to  stagnate  in  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  are  perfect  hotbeds  for  the  growth  of  animal  and 
vegetable  life.  Finding  every  necessary  requisite  to  their  ger- 
mination, light,  heat,  and  an  unlimited  supply  of  fertilizing 
mineral  substances,  phosphates,  sulphates,  carbonates  and  silicates 
of  lime,  potash,  ammonia,  etc.,  infinite  numbers  of  minute  seeds 
spring  forth  into  growing  plants,  which  in  their  turn  furnish 
nourishment  to  innumerable  swarms  of  living  animals  engendered 
from  their  embryos  preexistent  in  the  water.  The  breeding  of 
these  microscopic  creatures,  under  favorable  circumstances,  is  so 
rapid  that  in  a  very  few  hours  the  water  will  become  alive  with 
them  Ibid. 
