The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-01-15

teresting. In deep plate pour some wa
ter. On the water place scrap Of thick
paper, piece Of cork, or other light sub
stance, on that another piece of paper OF
cotton moistened with oil. On lighting
the paper or cotton, place over it a large
empty tumbler. The combustion contin-
ues for few seconds, and when it is ex.
tinguished, the water occupies about one
fifth Of the space in the tumbler, showing
the necessity Of oxygen for combustion,
and that it constitutes about one filth oi
the air we breathe. What man., woman
or child, would not like TO be Familiarity
acquainted with an element so abundant,
and an agent so active as oxygen, espe-
cially when such an acquaintance is equal.
ly simple, useful and delightful!
AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY-No 8.
lN BY JOSIAH HOLBRoOK. 9s ~
Rocks are the oxydes of metals. Slick,
the most abundant ingredient in rocks,
mountains and soils, is the oxyde of sill
cium. This oxyde constitutes nearly one
half Of the solid matter of our globe. II
is the principal element Of quartz, in all
its varieties. which are exceedingly nume-
rous, and some Of them very beautiful.
Quartz is the only mineral found every
where. Sand is pulverized quartz Peb-
bles are fragments of quartz. rounded by
attrition. Gunilint is quartz, breaking
with conchoidal (shell like) fracture.
Jasper is red quartz, with fine compact
texture. Amethyst is purple quartz, fire.
quently found in six-sidcd crystals in its
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. Cor
nelian is quartz of a fine texture, and Of a
yellowish red color. Chacedony, blood.
stone, catseye, and many other gems, are
varieties Of quartz.
Most, perhaps all, the gems used in the
breast-plate Of Aaron, the high priest, were
quartz of different textures, colors, and
hues. The precious stones presented by
the Queen of Sheba to the King of Israel
were probably quartz. The stones men
toned in the Book of Revelations as FORM
ing the streets of the New Jerusalem, with
all the gems referred to, were but varieties
of the stones used for paving our streets,
and of the earth moved to the plough and
the hoe of the farmer, and of the dirt cart
ed for filling our docks.
The coloring matter giving most of the
beautiful hues to gems, and an endless va.
riety of colors to quartz, is the oxyde oil
iron. The oxyde Of silicium and the OK.
yde of iron are hence united in this same
most abundant mineral in the world.
Next to quartz, leldspar, or clay formed
by the decomposition of feldspar, is the
most abundant element Of soils. This
too, is composed Of several oxydes o.
metals in chemical combin alton. Feldspar
is also very extensively united with quartz
in the formation Of rocks, not by chemical
combination, but mechanical mixture
The feldspar and the quartz can be sepa.
rated by the hammer Not so with the
oxygen and silicium, forming slex. Chem.
ical agency alone can separate chemical
combinations. Such combinations in
rocks, soils, and other mineral bodies, are
exceedingly numerous, complicated and
delicate. The most common stone thai
meets the eye in any part of the world is
composed of two oxydes. The oxygen
and the metals are each united by chem.
ical affinity, and then the two oxydes are
again combined by the same agency to
form common stone," evidently worthy
Of more respect than it commonly re.
ceives. .,...r ....
An experiment Pour upon little
pearlash in tumbler some strong vinegar
An effervescence will follow, producing
carbonic acid. A burning candle i'm
mersed, will be extinguished, showing
that carbonic acid is fatal to combustion
Ii is equally so to life.