Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, June 28, 1836, Image 1
C'HEKAff GAZETTE. J
1 '
gggggggeN^ 4 ^I I
S. MACLEAN EDITOR &. FROI'RIETOR. C1IERAW, S. G\, TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1836. VOL I. NO. M. 31
?????mmmrnm?m"MMMMMMBaMMMMMSgSgBM 4jJ
I^ublislictl every Tuesday. i;
TLKMS.
If paid within three months, ... 3. 00
If paid withinthreo months after the close
of the year, 3. 50
I not paid within that time, . . . . 4. 00
A company of six persons taking the paper at
the same Post Office, shall be entitled to it at ?15,
paid ill advance, and a company of ten persons
at ?'20 ; provided the names be forwarded together,
accompanied by the money.
No paper to be discontinued but at the option
of the Editor till arrearages are paid. (
Advertisements inserted for 75 cents per square
the first time, and 37? for each subsequent insert
on.
Persons sending in advertisements are request- ]
rd to specify the number of times they are to be ]
inserted; otherwise they will l>e continued till
ordered out, and charged accordingly.
EPTUe Postago must Ik; paid on all commu- 1
nications sent by mail.
f ?
RELIGIOUS ANNIVERSARIES AT TARIS.
[From an American Correspondent of the X. Y.
Observer.]
Paris, April 26, 1S3G.
Gentlemen?I send you a lew particulars
of the anniversaries in this city. In due j,
time you will receive more ample and su- '
t is factory details from yourexeelient French 1
correspondent. The anniversaries closed j
this day, and have been of uncommon in-'
teresr.
Christian Morals.
The first was the Kith annual meeting
of the Society for the Promotion of Christian
Morals, held in the Hotel do Yille, on
Monday, the 18th inst. The society em
braces in its number ot members many
Catholics, as well as Protestants. The .Marquis
ofRochefoucauld-Liancourt (a Catholic,)
is the President, and on this occasion
took the chair.
The annual report was read by Mr. Carnot.
Then succeeded the reports of some
live or six committees, on various subjects
assigned to them. One was on the subject
of prison discipline; another, on promoting
industry among the people; a third, on or- i
phan asylums; a fourth, on tlie encourage- j
ment of apprentices; a fifth, on the mode o. |
instructing the blind, and meliorating thei j
condition; a sixth, on religious liberty; and
a seventh, on the abolition of punishment
by death.
The seventh report was read by Mr. Lamartine,
the distinguished poet of France.
The execution of Morey, Papin, and Fies'chi,
and others, within a few months, has
made many excellent people in France desirous
that capital punishments should be
-abolished. Petitions are now getting up all
-over France, calling on the Chambers to,
abolish this mode of punishment; and the i
1 - ? i?r? *!.? !
- SUDJCCI will SOOll come uviurc Iiiai ..
The Societv for Christian Morals, some
0
mouths ago, otFered a premium for the best
essay on the subject, and sixty-five essays
were forwarded to the committee appointed
to examine them. Their rej>ort on these
essays was read by Mr. Lamartine, by
whom it is understood to have been drawn
up. It was an eloquent production, and
though not such as to meet my views in all
Tespects, yet it contained a very popular
and even philosophical view of the subject.
Considering that other modes of punishment
of great severity may be inflicted in a
country which possesses a well organized }
.government, and especially considering the j
materialism, the infidelity, and the consequent
disposition to commit suicide, which
exist among this unhappy people, it would
. seem that the punishment of death might
will be dispensed with and a more efifectual
one substituted in its place. But I confess
that I have never yet seen how to dispose
of the scriptural injunction, as I still must
view it, on this subject. Would not Profes
sor Stuart render essential service to the |
cause of humanity and truth, by making a ;
thorough and decisive investigation of the
original language addressed by the Divine j
Being to Noah, immediately after leaving j
the ark? I for one, and I think many others j
in th^s quarter of the world, would thank ;
hira for such a communication.
Tract Society.
On Tuesday night was held the Miniver-!
sary of the Paris Tract Society. This so-!
ciety distributed, last year, more than half a !
million of tracts. It has printed 114 differ- j
cnt French tracts, 14 German, and 11
Spanish. Professor Stapfer presided; and
among other addresses, was one by the
Rev. Dr. Malan, of Geneva.
Protestant Bible Society.
On Wednesday, the annual meeting of j
tlie Protestant Bible Society was held in the j
church of the Oratoire. Mr. Guizot, late
Minister for Public Instruction, presided and
addressed the meeting. He is a Protestant,
and probably the ablest politician of France.
The Protestant Bible Society is mostly in
the hands of that portion of the Protestant
<5hurch which is connected with the state.
It lias been in existence about eighteen
^ years, and has undoubtedly accomplished
much good. Its sphere of action is, however,
entirely too limited for this day, and
for the country in which it is situated,
llencc another (the French and Foreign
Bible Society) has been organized. The
Protestant Bible Society distributed, last
year, more than 5,000 copies of the Scriptures.
Its income was about 20,000
francs. The Rev. Mr. Coquerel, aniong
others, addressed the meeting.
Evangelical Society.
In the evening of the same day, the E.
vangelical Society held its third annual meeting,
in the Taitbout street chapel. Admiral
Count Ver Huell presided, and addressed
the meeting. The report was read by
Messrs. De Prcssense and F. Monod; from
which it appeared that last year there were
employed 30 laborers?ministers of the
gospel, evangelists, corpolteurs, and teachers?several
chapels hired, nearly 10,000
Bibles and 70,000 tracts distributed, Arc.
Receipts of the treasury, nearly 40,000
francs. Grateful notice was taken of the
aid received from the American Home Missionary
Society. Addresses were delivered
bv the Rev. Messrs. Adolphus Monod,
of Lyons; Murashe, of St. Denis; Vivien,
of Versailles, and others.
Missions.
On Thursday, at noon, the Society foi
Evangelical Missions among the Heathen
held its annual meeting, Admiral Ver Hm
oil in tiie chair. Rev. Mr. Grand Pierre,
Director of the Society's Mission House,
read the report. The society has several
missionaries in South Africa, upon whose
labors the Lord is graciously smiling. Its
receipts last year were more than 46,000
francs, and its expenditures upwards of 50,
000. It is about to send out a reinforcement
to aid the brethren whom it has in the
held. The meeting was addressed, amoug
others, by Rev. Adolphus Monod, and Mr.
Grand Pierre; and such was the deep impression
produced by the exercises of the
occasion, that three pious young inencarnc
forward, at the close of the meeting, to oflei
themselves to become qualified as mission
aries to the heathen.
French and Foreign Bible Society.
On Friday, at noon, the French and Foreign
Ihble Society held its third annua
meeting. Prof Stapfcr presided, ant
opened the meeting with a discourse on tin
evil tendencies of the literature of the age
esueciallv that porti of it which may b(
called French literature, and the remed\
which is to bo found in the Bible. The re
port was read by Mr. H. Luttcroth. The
society put into circulation last year, men
than 1(3,000 of the Sacred Scriptures. It:
receipts were 43,000 francs, and its expen
ditures upwards of 60,000. It has beer
most assiduously engaged in preparing stc
reotype plates for French. German, ant
Spanish Scriptures. In the last named language
it has commenced publishing tlx
New Testament, through the aid of the A
mcrican Bible Society. The society con
templates undertaking to supply every fam
ilv, willing to receive it, in the city of Paris
with a copy of the Scriptures. In additiot
to the 21,000 copies of the Scriptures, it
whole or part, circulated by the two Frencl
Bible Societies, 81,000 copies have issuer
from the Depository of the British and Foreign
Bible Society in this city, making i
total of more than one hundred thousand co
pies of the Sacred Scriptures put into circu
... flnni-wr tin, lfisU voar!
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
evenings, thcie were social meetings of pas
tors from the departments, with tlieir fellov
christians of the city, at the houses o
Messrs. Lutteroth, Relet, and Wilks.
On Monday evening, the 25th, was;
prayer meeting to beseech (lod to follov
with his blessing the meetings which ha<
O O
been held.
The Rev. Mr. Monod, Sen. died on Fri
day night, the 22J April. This vcnerabl
man was the father of three excellent air
faithful ministers of the gospel in tliis coun
try. viz. Messrs. Frederick, William, an<
Adolphus Monod. Mr. Win. Monod, wh
has been for several years prevented fron
preaching the gospel, by illness, is, I ar
1-1 1 ,1* ..rr.,;., t
happy to sav, iiKeiy to uo ivsioi^-u u^.nn i
that blessed work. A younger brother i
also preparing for tiic same high calling.
I am, yours, <5cc.
oil jctaws on ked river.
'dn t!ic Choctaw country, ami in th
churches on Ilcd river, there lias been, i
the course of the past year, considerabl
attention to religion. About forty person
have united with two of our churches. At
other church has been organized. In tli
Indian country, the monthly concert, weci
ly prayer meetings, and female pravt
meetings, are all attended by the native;
The cause of temperance is much prospci
ed. We rarely meet an intoxicated ma
in the Choctaw nation. There is a flou
ishing Temperance Society in Fort Tow
son, where preaching also is regularly a
tended. The Choctaws have not only b<
come temperate, but industrious, and at
enlarging their lields. They now dcri\
their subsistence almost entirely from t!
cultivation of the earth. There is amon
i them an increasing desire to be furnishe
! - K Ka?I. n;iflvf> Crllfifils. A
| IklJ tsi/lll UtlU t v WVV/V"> -
f a people, they are improving. They hai
! adopted a written constitution as the bas
I of their own civil government. They ei
act laws in council, and reduce them :
writing in English."
From the Farmer and Uardcncr.
VIRTUES OF LIME AS A MANURE.
Wc mentioned last week the rcpublicatic
of the excellent essay on this subject, I
M. Puvis, in pamphlet form, and promi
ed to give the very able introduction, wi
which the edition is prefaced,?from tl
pen of Professor Renwick, of Columb
College, New York. It will he found b
low and will more than repay the rend
for the time devoted to its perusal; for
is in truth a most luipinious paper, rcplc
with intelligence which every farm
should be in possession of. ffis explan
tions of the constituents of soils and ti
mode of action of lime, upon peculiar soi
are both so plain that none who wish
comprehend them can mistake their if
port. For oursclf wc are gratified to fi
gentlemen of Professor Renirick\< distin
tion putting their shoulders to tlie wtieei
support of the cause of agriculture, as, I
sides the brilliant lights which are thro\
out by them, the influence of their n.ini
is of incalculable value. \Yc should r
omit mentioning that the public tire i
debtcd chiefly to Jas. Wadswortb, E:
of New York for the edition of this exc
lent work.
11 " The chemical facts and principles
. i which are applicable to agriculture, are 1
. neither numerous nor complete. They <
, I arc, however, to be found only in works J
? on general chemistry, in which they are I
| intimately associated with laws and phe- i
J nomona of a more abstruse description, \
- i and in connection with which they consti- t
tute a science of which the most learned i
. are still students, and to attain which in its I
, existing form may require years of close <
, and attentive study. The language, too, t
I of chemistry, which, to those who study it l
; in a regular course, serves us an artificial I
; memory, and single words of which call up <
> long trains of thoughts and experiment, ]
presents the uninitiated all the difficulties 1
. of a foreign tongue. '
> \ of it pnnimt Iip rlnntifpri flint flip nraC- <
I ^ ? ?-? *v wuui.w WW ,
[ | tical fanner may derive important benefit
. I from acquiring so much of this language ;
as will enable him to understand the chem- <
f ical explanation of the numerous changes I
J which are continually taking place in the i
* natural actions which it is his high privi- (
j lege to call into his service, to direct in <
part, and modify in degree. So also ccrj
tain chemical elements and compounds, i
. with the properties of which he ought to
1 he acquainted if he wish to be able to di- 1
1 rcct his practical skill with more effect,
) i even in circumstances familiar to hiiu, 1
, ! hut which may he absolutely necessary, or
} will at any rate save waste of labor and
r ' loss of time, when the knowledge acquired
" J UV |^l ilLlitt' 11 i UlIU JUca^U 11/ uu wiiipiujr vu
i j in a new situation, and under a change of
) I circumstances.
51 It is the object of this introduction to
- j exhibit, in such a form as may be intclligii
j bio to those who have not made general
- ! chemistry an object of study, a concise
1 | view of such of the laws and and facts of
that science, as are absolutely necessary
2 for the agriculturist who may wish to im
prove his practice, and which are more
particularly required by those who wish
to avail themselves of the knowledge con>
tallied in the subjoined essay. To do this
1 has been found no easy task. It would be
1 in itself difficult, but to the author of this
introduction has been more particularly so,
I as he has for years been in the habit of im"
j parting instruction to those whose habits I
II of life and thoughts arc as remote as pos-!
" j srble from those of the practical farmer; j
1 ? ? !..?1m nminrrfi nI .
I persons JO WIIUIII till- pi;iuuui iuii^uu^v
! cJjemistry is an aid instead of an impediy
j incut, and who, with ample time at their
* j command, have an opportunity of pursuing
v* j the study of the science step by step.
{ Fully aware of these difficulties, both gen1
oral and peculiar, this attempt would not
1; have been made, and certainly not pcrv
! sisted in, had it not have been for the ini
j stances of an intelligent scientific and suei
ccssful farmer, who has urged the comple>
tion of the task an an object likely to be
e i beneficial to those, who, with perhaps
il; equal zeal and native powers of mind,
i-; have not enjoyed, like himself, advanta(I
ges of a scientific education.
0 The atmosphere which surrounds our
[1; earth is the first object to which our attcn11
tion should be directed. This is the vehi0
cle of the moisture, which, w hether it fall
5 in the form o( rain or dew, run in streams
or issue from springs, is absolutely cssonr
; tial to the success of the farmer's labor.
It is also, as we shall presently see, impori
tant to him on other accounts.
e 1 The greater part of the atmosphere is
n made up of a mixture of substances, each
c j of which has tlve same mechanical propcrts
! ties as the whole mass. These air-like
j.! substances arc known to chemists by the
,c | name of Gases.
! Of these gasses, two make up by far the
T | greater portion of atmospheric air, and
5. 1 exist in it in the proportion of about 4 to
r. I 1. That which is the largest in quantity
,n ; and makes up nearly 4-5ths of the whole
r_ atmosphere, is called, in the Essay of M,
r- 1 Puvis, by the name of Azot, but is more
t. ' usually known in English by the name of
j Nitrogen.
j J This substance, although in the largest
I ;0 ,1,0 imnnrtnnt of the
e : |nuj.u.uu.j, 1.5 mi, ....j--..
ic ; gases in ifs chemical cflbcts. It docs not
ig 1 aid in supporting the life of animals, nor
h] : in maintaining the burning (combustion)
ls ! of inilanimablc bodies.
re j The part of the atmosphere which is
is i absolutely necessary for these purposes, is
ii- ! called by the name of orygc.n, and nearly
lo ! makes up the remaining fifth part of atmospheric
air. In its support oflife itali
ways, and in maintaining combustion of!
ten, unites with a chemical element, which
| is called carbon. This is familiarly
I known as forming the principal part of
>n ; charcoal. In ifs union with carbon, oxy>y
i gen forms, a peculiar gas known bv the
s- j name of carbonic acid,
th : Carbonic acid is always found in small
ic j quantities in the atmosphere, to which it
ia i is furnished by the breath of animals and
c- ! the fumes of burning bodies. It is, when
'
er in considerable quantities, fatal to the life
it ! of animals, but is prevented from accunuite
! lating to an iojurous extent in consecr
| qucncc of its being taken up by water; it
dissolved. in nroDortions about
u~ I v . .
lie; j equal to those in which it is formed, by
Is, j livers, lakes, the ocean, and the moisture
to of the soil.
n- ; Water exists in the atmosphere in the
nd ; form of vapour. The'great source of this
c- j vapour is the extended surface of the
itj ' ocean, and it is governed by a mcchani?e
: cal law, by which it is continually tending
,vi) j to distribute itself uniformity over tho
ies I whole surface of the earth. It may thus
iot! exist in as large quantities over the surin
face of the dry est land as over that of the
sq. j ocean itself. The tendency to equal disci
t .ioution is ccntinually counteracted by the
changes in the sensible beat (temperature)
of the atmosphere, and of tiie surface of
the earth, which follow the alterations ol
day and night, and the vicissitudes of the
seasons. By these alterations and changes,
the vapour is caused to fall (precipitated)
in the form of rain, snow, hail, dew, or
white frost, according to circumstances.
As such changes of temperature are more
frequent on the land than on the ocean,
the water which falls on the former in
?ither of these forms is greater in quantity
han that which falls on equal surfaces ol
he latter. Thus bv a wise and benevocnt
Providence, the water of the ocean is
continually furnishing vapour, which is
precipitated on the land for the support of
vegetation and the supply of springs, and
whose excess is poured back into the
ocean in streams and rivers.
Water lias been found by chemists to be
a compound substance, made up of two
dements. One of these, which forms
fvOtlis of its weight, is the gas already
mentioned under the name of oxygen ; the
other, a peculiar gas, known by the name
of hydrogen.
Hydrogen, when free, is the lightest ol
all known bodies, rising and floating in atmospheric
air; it not only combines with
oxygen, to form water, but with carbon to
form a great variety of compounds?gaseous,
liquid, viscid, and solid. It also
combines with nitrogen, and forms a gas
known by the name of ammonia, which is
well known by the peculiar smell it gives
to spirits of hartshorn (liquid ammoma.)
Hydrogen also combines with sulphur,
forming a gas known by the name of sulphuretted
hydrogen ; this exists in the atmosphere,
but in such small quantities a;
only to be detected by the nicest chcmica
tests. It combines in like manner wit!
phosphorus, forming pliosphureited hydrogen
gas, whose presence in the air is occasionally
perceptible.
Oxygen, as we have seen, unites wit!
carbon, to form a gas which we have called
carbonic acid.
This receives the latter part of its name
from its similarity in properties to an extensive
class of compound bodies, knowi
by the name of the acids. The greater par
of these, like carbonic acid, are combinations
of inflammable bodies with oxygen,
The most important of these in reference
to our present object, are the sulphuric
and phosphoric acids; named from the
' ?1?/.-..InK.ii. init nlirtcnlinrmi^
IWU SUUiUIIRCS ^3UI|MIU1 anu jniva^.v..
which are their basis. Muriatic acid inaj
also be mentioned here although its com
position is of a different character. Oxy
gen unites with other bodies to a class o
compounds known under the name o
oxides.
The acids unite with earths, alkalis
and metallic oxides, to form a class o
compounds known under the genera
natne of salts.?These are named from tin
two substances which enter into tliei
composition: thus, the salt formed o
sulphuric acid and the earth lime, is call
ed sulphate of lime. The substance
which unite with acids to form salts, an
called the basis of the respective salts.
Of these bases, the alkalis, it is only nc
cessary to know the names of two, namelv
potassa and soda, and to be aware that thei
distinctive properties are: to possess ai
acrid taste, a caustic operation, to rende
oils capable of mixing with water, and t
neutralize the properties of acids.
The earth which the chemists call by th
name of silex or silica,, is lound almost pur
in flint and rock chrystal; it is also ulmos
pure in sharp colourless sands, and is by fu
the larger part of sands of every description
So far as the farmer need know its proper
tics : it is hard, rough to tire touch, has n
attraction for water, which it permits to filt?:
through, or evaporate from it, with the grcai
est case. It is capable of uniting with th
other in compounds which are called sil
catcs, and is the only earth which enter
into the formation of soils uncombincd wit
the others or with other elements.
The earth which chemists call by tli
name of alumina, is so named because it i
obtained by them in a pure form from tli
well known salt called alum, of which it;
the basis. Its most marked characterise
is plasticity : that is to say, it may be forme
o *vno?n u'ill thon ensilv r(
414 LI J U JHWIV M ill! HIV>) ..... ...... J ccive
any form which may be given it, an
retain that form unaltered, even by violei
heat. It never exists in soils unmixed, bi
in intimate association, or more probabl
chemical combination with silicia, it is tf
well-known substance called clay, or argi
laceous earth. White clays are this comb
nation nearly pure, and colored clays oftc
contain it with no other addition than metn
lie colonring matter. Clay retains the pla
tic property of alumina; it therefore cuusi
soils to be retentive of moisture; and whe
they dry, make them form tough clods <
crusts, similar in character to sun-drk
brick.
Soils which contain clav are often al:
mixed with sand, or with an excess of silic
in grains, which docs not enter into the cor
position of the clay. Such a soil is le
liable to form a tough crust than a pure cln
but it will require a very large proportion
sand to destroy this property altogether.
( 'lay mixed with sandy soils renders the
more retentive of moisture. Sand and cl;
have therefore been used as manures f
each other; hut it may reasonably be doul
ed whether all the advantage that has be<
anticipated by some from this process, a
be realized, as such a mixture will be mere
inecliauical.
Loamy soils are generally said to 1
mixtures of sand and clay; they undoubted
usually contain both these earths ; andev
sometimes a large excess of sand. But t
shall give reasons for believing that loar
owe their peculiar value to a combinatf
4
of clay with another substance, by which a r
change is produced in its chemical charac- v
tcrs. p
Limo is familiarly known by the same n
name that is generally used by chemists, tl
It is obtained by the aid of heat from rocks s
which go by the name of limestones.
These are combinations of lime with car- s
borne acid, which is fixed in them by chemical
attraction, but which, when driven off
by heat, takes the same form as the air of v
' the atmosphere, or becomes a gas. This a
gas from this circumstance has been called v
fixed air, by which name it is often known j
when causing the sparkling and froth of j,
cider and beer. The principal part of lime- f
stone is therefore ca'led by chemists carbon- v
nip nf limp. ('arbn.iate of lime is also found c
in shells, both those of living animals aud c
those which exist in the ground in a lossil j
state. In the for mer it is mixed with animal
matttf which, is more or less separated since t
the death of the shell fish.
Marl, in the sense in which the term Is
used by chemists, is a mixture of clay with
carbonate of lime. TJie English writers 011 (
agriculture have not observed this distioe- 6
tion, and the term is sometimes applied by 11
them to a decomposed chalk, which may (
contain little or no clay: and sometimes to }
clay which contains no carbonate of lime. *
| In fact, the name is frequently applied by '
| them to any earthy matter found below the *
' j vegetable soil, which is capable of incrcas- *
ingits fertility. From this misapprehension, 1
the substances which go by the name of [
marl in New Jersey, Maryland, and Virgi- 1
nia, do not correspond with the chemical J
'\ definition, but are generally beds of fossil
' | shells mixed in various proportions with 1
' | earthy and saline matters of various kinds. f
* Lime is a substance very ditrerent in its j
j characters from the two earths of which we
11 have previously spoken. When prepared 1
' j by heat from any of tiic original forms of 1
' | its carbonate, it retains their shape unaltered, 1
but may have its color changed, and always 1
1; loses considerable in weight. It is now j
' j acrid, caustic and corrosive, and alkaline. j
| Of these the most important is, that it unites 1
!! with acids to form compounds included in
' I the general class of salts. Of the salts of i
11 lime which are important to the farmer, the :
? - l- * .1.
1 three principal are : the car.'jonaie, wnicu, <
as we have stated, is found in lime-stone, <
chalk, and marl; the sulphate, in which lime 1
' is combined with sulphuric acid, and which i
i in combination with water is the substance 1
i so well known to our farmers under the
) i name of plaster of Paris, or less familiarly
r" by that of gypsum ; the phosphate, which
- constitutes a part of the bone of animals.
Lime, when exposed to the air, attracts
f carbonic acid, which is always to be found
f in the atmosphere; it thus passes back to
the state of carbonate, but in so doing gru?
, dually falls to powder, and is then said to be
f air-slaked. If slaked with water, it also
I falls to a powder, which stiil retains the
- 1 ?- limn hut thlQ
2 CflUSIIC Cliurnuicr oi mc uuiuk iiiiiv j r
powder, when exposed to the air, unites with
f i carbonic acid more rapidly than when in
. mass.
s Lime, in its caustic state, lias the propere
ty of rapidly decomposing vegetable and
animal substances, thus hastening the na.
tural processes by which they are finally
destroyed; or, to speak more properly, have
r their elements resolved into new combiua.
n tions. The offensive and umvhoisome gases
r which are given out by this composition,
0 are absorbed by the lime, and probably by
its other compounds; but in order that cither
e this earth or its compounds shall manifest
e this property, thev must be in small frag.
;t ments, or, which is better, in fine powder,
r Wet sand and plastic clay, and those soils
i. to which they give their characters, also
-! possess the property of absorbing gasses ;
^ i K?t Imvp thi? in u verv inferior decree <
^ UUb IIIVT MV*.W V...W ... ? J w
r to lime and its compounds. As the gases
t- generated by the decomposition of vegetable
e and animal substances form a largejpart of
i- the necessary food of plants, it is obvious
s that a soil which contains the carbonate of
b j lime, may retain and store them up for use,
" j while they will be lost in soils of a different
,c; character.
is j Carbonate of lime may also be made a
IC : most important article in the preservation
is j of the most valuable parts of putrescent
c manures, until they can be applied to the
d ! soil. In this way marl is applied to a
! great extent in China ; the night soil of
'd ' their numerous population is there formed
into cakes like bricks, with marl, and thus
Jt loses its offensive stnell; but when these
'y are applied as manure to the land, they
,c give out the gases again as they are re("
quired for the nourishment of plants. So
l* also in Norfolk, the site for dunghills is
;n prepared by a Inycr of marl, which is iui
corporated with the manure from time to
f" time, and retains the gases which would
JS) otherwise be lost.
Jn I
jt 1 Tiitno1 may therefore be applied in its
id caustic form in some rases in agriculture,
| for it will hasten the decomposition ofaniso
mal and vegetable matters which might be
ia otherwise inert; it will also neutralize
n- acids, which experienced farmers well
ss know to exist in many soils, which they
y, in consequence call sour. But the latter
of purpose will be answered as well by the
carbonate of lime, which may be applied
m j as it exists in marl or shells, or as it may
jy I be prepared by grinding limestone. Causo"r!
tic lime is also dangerous in its applica>t.
(ion, for it will corrode and destroy living
?n vegetables, and hasten tho decomposition
in of the vegetable matter of the soil to such
ly a degree as to injure its fertility. Except
upon turfbog9, glands loaded with timber
be | not wholly decomposed, quick or caustic
fly lime ought not to he used ; bat to burn
en lime, afld-lhen by slaking to reduce it to
,ve j the form of fine powder, which is speedins
l Iy carbonated by exposure to the air, is a
on more ready, and generally a cheaper
I ?
^ ' 'V
node of obtaining the carbonate in a con- ;
enient form, than to grind limestone to
owder in mills. Yet for many of the
lost valuable uses of lime jo agricuHarev -y
he latter method, if as cheap, would en- '
wer as well.* ' * $
Lime slowly combines with the earth
ilica, and produces a compound very diA
erent in character from either. It is thify
o cite a fact in proof of our statement*
rhich gives the sharpness and solidity to
neient mortar. The carbonale' of iimo
rill serve to form this compound: and
hus, when it has time to act upon sand,
t renders silicious soil more retentive of
noisture: if applied to clay, by combining
vith its silicious matter it renders it more
riablc; and it is to the formation of this
ompound, by slow degrees, that we are
nclined to ascribe the valuable mechanii2fl
al properties of loamy soils, and tbe
gradual amelioration produced by tbe uffe
>flime, marl, and shells, as^a manure*
Besides silica, alumina,and lime, an earth
called magnesia is likewise found in tome
toils. It is also, in the form of carbonate,
i frequent constituent of limestones. This
iarth has many properties in common
vilh lime ; like lime it is capable ofoenralizing
acids; and when deprived of carx)uic
acid by heat, corrodes vegetable substances.
It probably also hastens putre^
action, and both it and its carbonate are capable
of absorbing gases let lose in that natual
process. It is, however, of little interest
' -* 4 ? ? ? >> enma rtf
" u^n<JUilll[T*y UAUtTJJl US U |>U< I ui ouuiy v<
he limestones which are used as manure,
f his, if applied in large quantities, is some:imes
very injurious to vegetation ; the reason
of this is, that magnesia does not repass
to the state of carbonate as rapidly as
ime, and therefore contains its corrosive
quality long after the lime has again become
mild by its union with carbonic acid, la
less quantities, however, the magnesia limestones
may serve as a manure, bat their
application requires great caution, particularly
when the quantity ofmagnesia amounts
to twenty-five per cent.
All of the simple substances we have
mentioned, except perhaps the last, either
separate or in various states of combination
exist in plants. The manner and charactef
of the combination is influenced by the vi"
- ? - l;_I ? -
tat action 01 me piani which causes uicm
to form compounds, often in direct opposition
to the manner in which the ordinary " "
laws of chemistry would direct. It thus
happens that so soon as the pldnt ceases to
live, these chemical laws being no longer
impeded, begin to avert their influence;
and if it be in such a state as will admit of
the several elements acting readily bpon
each other, a decomposition, mofe or less '
rapid, of the vegetable structure ensues. It
is a law of cliemistrv, that its acfich is al
A A
ways aided by the bodies being tor a flu d
state, and the action is often 'impossible .
when the bodies are perfectly free from
moisture. Ilcncc the direct chemical ac-'
tion, and conscqent decomposition, takes .
place with greater certainty and more rapidity
in green juicy and succulent vegeta-'
bles, than upon those which have been deprived
of moisture either naturally or artificially*
The grass, ifhfeapedup in a recent
state, decomposes, and if but phhiaflyiMH!,i
is heated, and may even take fire, by the
chemical action of its elements; while; it
dried by exposure to the sun arid then laid
up in a dry place in the form of hay, it is
almost inacsirucuoie. a moucruu?
gree of heat and access to air is also necessary
to promote the chemical action by
which decomposition is effected. This
decomposition is often attended with iikv
tion among the parts; and al ways/f the mass
has a liquid form: as in the expressed juice
of vegetables, or in the steeps employed by
stillers and brewers, it goes in general terms
by the name of fermentation. When the
vegetable matter abounds in starch, the
first change is the conversion of this principle
into sugar. Sugar, if thus formed, is
next converted into alcohol, as it is, if preriously
existed in the plant. The presenceof
alcohol gives the liquid in whieh it exists
the character of vinous h'quors and if these
are permitted to remain in a turbid state, a
farther fermentation converts them into vinegar
; and finally vinegar is farther decom.
posed, and the vegetable matter, giving out
an offensive smell, is said to putrify. ir
the substance be not an expressed jtnoe or
liquid steep, these several stages of fermentation
ensue with rapidity, may be going ott
at the same time, and are sometimes so
speedy in their course max no ouivr auiuii
but the putrefactive fermentation can be detected.
Animal bodies are subject to the
same law s, and go through the same stages
of fermentation, but the rapidity with
which they run into putrefaction is even
greater; still there are some cases,* as tit
that of milk, where the vinous stage can be
occasionally, and the acetic distiocdy^ob-.
served. Thus, a vinous liquor is prepared;
in some countries from milk, and the sourtaste
which appears in it when kept, arises
from the presence of vinegar.
I the several stages of fermentation, parts
of the vegetable assume' the iorm of gas or
vapour, and are given out to the air. The
gases which have been detected, are car.
bonic acid, a gaseous compound of carbon
and hydrogen, and in some instances ammonia.
The vapour is that of water, which
escapes in greater quantities than it would
under ordinary circumstances, in consequcnce
of the heat with which the procrs*
is attended. If exposed to ram, soluble
salts, with earthy and alkaline bases, are
washed from the mass. Finally, a mass of
earthy consistence alone remains, which,
on examination is found to bemadfcofeartl s,
insoluble salts, and carbon, being, in feet,
identical with vegetable mould.
We may hence infer that the following
elements exist in vegetable bodies '*