Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-06-28

venient form, than to grind limestone 70
powder in mills. Yet for many OF the
most valuable uses oflime in agricutures
the latter method, if as cheap, would an
swer as well:
Lime slowly combines with the earth
silica, and produces compound very dlfs
ferent in character from either. tits this,
to cite fact in proof Of our statement,
which gives the sharpness, and solldlty 10
ancient mortar. The carbonate OF lime
will serve to form this compound: and
thus, when it has time to act upon sand,
it renders silicious soil more retentive OF
moisture ifapplied TO clay, by combining
with its siIicious matter it renders it more
friable; and it is to the formation OF this
compound, by slow degrees, that we. are
inclined TO ascribe the valuable mechani..
cal properties of loany soils, aud the
gradual ameIoration produced by the use
of lime, mari, and shells, asa manure.
Besides silica, alumins, and lime, an earth
called magnesia is likewise found in some
soils. 1t is also, in the form ofcarbonate.
a frequent constituent oflimestones. This
earth has many properties in common
with lime like lime it is capable OF neu:
tralizing acids; and when deprived OF car.
bouic acid by heat, corrodes vegetable sub.
stances. 1t probably also hastens putre:
faction, and both it and its carbonate are ca.
pable ofabsorbing gases letlose infhat natu-
raj process. It is, however, of little interest
in agriculture, except as part OF some OF
the limeaoncs which are used as manure.
This, if applied in large quantities, is some:
times very injurious to vegetation , the rea.
son of this is, that magnesia does not re-
pass to the state ofcarbonate as rapidly as
lime, and therefore contains its corrosive
quality long after the lime has again become
mild by its union with carbonic acid. In
less quantities, however, the magnesia hme-
stones may serve as manure, but their
application requires great caution, parhcu-
larly 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 character
of the combination is Influenced by the We
tai action of the plant which causes them
to form compounds, often IN direct oppos1-
ton to the manner in which the ordinary
laws of chemistry would direct. II thus
happens that so soon as the plant ceases to
live, these chemical laws being no longer
ilnpeded, begin to avert their influence
and if it be n such state as will admit OF
the several elements acting readily upon
each other, decomposition, more or less
rapid, of the vegetable structure ensues. u
is law of chemistry, that its action is al:
ways aided by the bodies being in aud
state, and the action is often impossible
when the bodies are perfectly free from
| moisture. Hence the direct chemical ac!
ton, and conseqent decomposition, taxes
place with greater certainty and more ra-'
pidity in green juicy and succulent yegeta.'
tbles, than upon those which have been de-
prived ofmoisture either naturally or arfifi.
cially. The grass, If heaped up 10 q recent
state, decomposes, and if but partially dfieu;' !
is heated, and may even take fire, by the
chemical action of its elements while, II
dried by exposure to the sun and then laid
up in a dry place in the form Of hay, II is
almost ndes,ructble. A moderate de-
gree of heat and access to air is also ne
cessary to promote the chemical action by
which decomposition is effected. Ihs
decomposition is often attended with me-
ton among the parts; and always, ,;fthe mass
has liquid form as in the expressed JUICE
of vegetables, or in the sleeps 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 prin-
+ ciple into sugar. Sugar, ifthus formed, IS
next converted into alcohol, as it's, It pre-
viously existed in the plant. The presence
of alcohol gives the liquid in which it exists
the character of vinous liquors and If these
are permitted 10 remain in turbid state, a
farther fermentation converts them into vln-
egar and finally vinegar is farther decom.
posed, and the vegetable matter, giving Out
an offensive smell, is said to purify. i
f the substance be not an expressed juice OF
liquid steep, these several stages Of fermen.
tation ensue with rapidity, may be gong OF
. at the same time, and are sometimes SO
: speedy in their course that no other action
but the put-efactive fermentation can be de.
tected. Animal bodies are subject to the
5 same laws, and 60 through the same sta.
: ees of fermentation, but the rapidity with
, which they run into putrefaction is even
greater still there are some cases. as II
that ofmilk, where the yinous stage can be
occasionally, and the acetic distinctly, OBJ,
served. Thus, vinous liquor is prepared