The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1850-12-21
@ q q s 4 Il 81 @ Il .
AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY.
BY josiah HoLBRooK.
No. 4

mo class OF the community have an
equal interest in geology with farmers.
NO science Is so interesting to farmers
as geology, in connexion with chemistry
The two sciences cannot be separated
and justice done to either. While the
elements of our globe, especially ofsoils,
require chemical tests to determine their
character, these very elements are abso-
lutely essential for experiments to deter
mine the fundamental principles of
chemistry. Oxygen, the most powerful
chemical agent in creation, is also the
most abundant material in rocks and
soils. The one as an element, the other
as an agent, are alike essential to each
other, and both indispensable, as at the
foundation of all agricultural science.
A knowledge of each is as feasible as
1t is mportant-entirely within the
comprehension of child six years old.
Each is science of facts more than of
abstract reasoning-of facts, too, equally
obstructive and delightful to every young
mind.
Take an example: The child has
placed before him two glass tumblers-
the one containing quartz, the other lime
OR sand and chalk. The name of each
is of course readily learnt as the name
of iron, lead, gold, tree, horse, or any
other object in Nature or Art. Into
each tumbler is poured some sulphuric
or muriatic acid. In the tumbler of
lime the pupil observes an action--in
that of quartz no action. He is told this
action is called el1ervescence. He
hence learns to recognize lime and
quartz, and the more certainly from the
recollection that the one ef1ervesces with
acids and the other does not.
Here is an example of geology and
chemistry, alike useful to the farmer and
Interesting to the farmers child, or any
child. The same simplicity and direct
fundamental instruction run through the
whole of both ofthese exceedingly prac-
tical sciences.
may hereafter point out few ofthe
leading principles Of these two sciences;
their conneNion with each other; their
essential Importance to all classes, and,
most of all, farmers; their exceeding fit
ness for the early instruction of children,
and the entire feasibility of having them
among the 'first lessons" taught in each
OF the eighty thousand American schools.
No. 2.
Oxus is the Greek word for acid; gin
omai, in Greek, means make; hence the
literal meaning ofexygen is acid maker.
Combined with sulphur it forms sulphu-
ric acid; with nitrogen, nitric acid; with
carbon, carbonic acid, &c-Respiration
combustion and fermentation are the
three principal operations producing the
combinations of oxygen and carbon; the
results, carbonic acid.
Acids combine readily with metals,
earths and alkalies-as iron, lime and
potash. By chemists these combinations
are called salts, designated by the termi.
nation ate. Sulphuric acid combining
with varions bases, produces sulphates:
nitric, nitrates; carbonic, carbonates.
sulphate of lime is gypsum or plaster of
Paris; sulphate of iron, copperas; of soda,
glauber salts; of magnesia, epson salts.
The carbonate of lime is common lime
stone, marbles, chalk, and many beauti-
ful crystals.-Carbonatc of iron, copper, |
and lead are ores ofthose metals,
About century ago water was found |
to be composed of oxygen and hydrogen,
and common air of oxygen and nitrogen
About half century since oxygen was
found by Sir Humphrey Davy to be an
element of rocks, Of course of soils, as it
was OF the alkalies, combined with oxv
gen, Were found by the same great chem
lst, to be metals very peculiar in char
acter
1t hence appears that oxygen is an ele-
ment in air, earth and water, existing
abundantly in solid, liquid and aerial
forms. In the whole it constitutes near
ly half our globe. 1t is, of course, the
most abundant element in the material
world. 1t is also the most important
agent in producing changes in matter
essential to human existence. 1t is
very appropriately called p5tol air, as
neither animal life nor any life can ex-
ist without it. 1t is no less essential to
combustion than to life. 1t also acts
with great energy upon metals and 9TH
er solid substances. In this action it
produces three very large and very i'm
portant classes of bodies-oxydes, acids
and salts. Iron rust is the oxyde of
iron; the dross OF lead, oxyde Of lead;
burnt lime, the oxyde of calcium; pure
potash, the oxyde Of potassium; pure So
da, the oxyde ofsodium; slick or flint,
the oxyde of silicium. The combina-
ton OF one part oxygen and four of nj
trogen constitutes the atmosphere; three
parts oxygen and one nitrogen form nj
tric acid, aquafortis. Combined with
other substances, it forms numerous
asvcIlds;--Saltpetre is the nitrate of potash.
The large quantity of oxygen it receives
from the nitric acid fits if for material