Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-02-21
OTTUMWA, IOWA, FEBRUARY 81, 1851.

phere; three parts of oxygen and one of
nitrogen form nitric acid, aquafortis. -
Combined with other substances, it forms
numerous acids. Sallpetre is the nitrate
of potash The large quantity of oxy-,
gen it receives from the nitric acid fits il
for a material in gGnpowder-giving to
that powerful agent its principal power.
A plate, tumbIer, and scrap of paper,
with little water, will enable any teach
er TO perfnrm an experiment on oxygen
equally simple, instructive and interest
ing. In a deep plate pour some water.
On the water place scrap of thick pa
per, piece of cork, or other light sub
stance; on that another piece of paper or
cotton noistened with oil. On Lighting
the paper or cotton. place over it large
empty tumbler. The combustion con-
tinues for few seconds, and when II is
extinguished, the water occupies about
one fifth Of the space in the tumbler,
showing the necessity of oxygen for
combustion, and that i. constitutes about
one fifth the air we breathe. What
man, woman, or child would not like TO
be famiIarly acquainted with an elemen.
50 abundant, and an agent so active as
oxygen, especially when such an acquain-
tance is equally simple, useful and de-
lighiiul!
AGRICULTURAL GEoLooT-So. 3.
Rocks are the oxydes Of metals. ST.
lex, the most abundan, Ingredient in
rocks, mountains and soils, is the OK
yde Of siicium. This oxyde consti-
tutes nearly one half of the solid mat
ter of our globe. II is the principal ell
ement of quartz, in all its varieties,
which are exceedingly numerous, and
some of them very beautiful. Quartz is
the only, mineral found eyerywhere.-
Sand is pulverized quartz. Pebbles are
fragments of quartz, rounded by at::,,i-
tion. Gunfin! :, quartz, breaking with
a conhoidal (shell like) fracture. Jasper
is red quartz, with fine compac. tex
ture. Amethyst is purple quartz, fire.
quenlly found in six-sided crystals,
which is the common shape of quartz
cry stalls in the different varieties. Agate
is clouded quartz, IN numerous varieties,
some of which are much used for watch
seals, finger-rings breast-pins, and other
ornaments. Cornelian is quartz of n
fine texture. and of a yellowish red
color. Chalcedony, blood-,.on caseye,
and many other gems, are varieties Of
quartz.
Most, if not all, the gems used in the
breast-plate of Aaron, the high priest,
were quartz of different textures, colors
and hues. The precious stones presen.
! ted by The Queen of Sheba to the King
of Israel were probably quartz. The
stones mentioned i'll the Book Of Reve-
| lations as forming the streets Of the New
Jerusalem, and all the gems referred to,
paving our streets, and of the earth mo-
we'd to The plough and the hoe of the far
mer. and of dirt carted for filling our
! docks. . .aa ..s -ra.... .s..- ...
The coloring matter giving most OF
the beautiful hues TO gems, and an end
| less variety of colors 10 quartz, is the
oxyde of iron. The oxyde of silicium
and the oxyde Of iron are hence united
in this same most abundant mineral in
the word.
! Next to quartz, feldspar, or clay form
ed by the decomposition of feldspar. is
The most abundant element of Soils
This, too, is composed of several OK
| ydes of metals in chemical combination.
Feldspar is also very extensively united
with quartz in the formation Of rocks,
not by chemical combination, but mech
anical mixture. The feldspar and the
quartz can be separated by the hammer.
Not SO with the oxygen and silicium,
forming slick. Chemical agency alone
can separate chemical combinations. -
Such combinations in rocks, soils and
other mineral bodies, are exceedingly
numerous, complicated and delicate
The mos, common stone that meets the
\ eye in any part OF the world is compo.
sed of two oxydes. The oxygen aud
,he metals are each united by chemical
affinity, and then the two oxydes are
again combined by the same agency to
form a common stone,' evidently wor.
thy of more respect than il commonly re-
ceives. tz#t sr&
4 An experiment: Pour upon little
pearlash in tumbler some strong vine
gar. An effervescence will follow, pro.
ducing carbonic acid. A burning can.
die immersed will be extinguished
{ showing that carbonic acid is fatal Il
combustion. II is equally so in life.
i La a ------- --- Z,Is--
i Indian Literature. ' a