Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-01-01
AGRICULTURAL SCIENTIFIC,
AGRICULTURAL GEOLoGY--NO. 2.

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] AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY--No. q
Oxus is the Greek word for acid; ginonab in
Greek, means make hence the literal meaning Of
oxygen is acid maker. Combined with suiphurll
forms sulphuric acd with nitrogen, nitric acid; with
carbon, carbonic acid. Sc. Respiration, combustion,
and fermentation are The three principal operations
producing the combination Of oxygen and carbon;
the results, carbonic acid. :.
| Acids combine readily with netas,earths, & aka
lies-as iron, lime. and potash By chemists these
combinations are called salts, designated by the ter
minalion ate. Sulphuric acid, combining WIN sar''
ous bases, produces sulpbaes; nitric, nI'ra'es car
bonic, carbopales. Sulphae of lime is gypsum, or
plaster of Paris; supllate OF ron copperas oi soos'
gauber salts of magnesa, epson salts. Ihe car
Donate of lime is common limestone, marbles, chalk,
and many beautiful crystals. Car5onaies of iron,
copper and lead are ores of those metals.
About a century ago water was found to be COM
posed of oxygen and hydrogen, and common air oi
oxygen aud nitrogen. About half century since
oxygen was found by Sir Humphrey Davy 10 De sn
element of rocks, of course NJ soils, as 1t was OF tne
alkaIies, potash and soda. The other clemens ~
earhs and aIkalies, combined with oxygen, were
found by the same great chemist, 10 oe metals very
peculiar in character
earth, and water, existing abuudanIly in solid iiqurs
and aerial forms. In the whole i, constitutes nearly
half of our globe !! is of course, the most abun'
dan element in the material world u is also The
most important agent in producing changes IN matter
essential 10 human existence. 1t is very appropr.
ately called rtal air, as neither animal lite nor any
life can exist without it. II is not less essential 10
combustion than 10 life II also acts with great en-
ergy upon metals and other solid substances. In
this action II produces three very large and very lm'
porlan classes of bodies-oxydes, acids, and salIs
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 soda, the
oxyde of sodium slick, or flint, The oxyde OF sici-
um. The combination of one part oxygen and four
of nitrogen constitutes the atmosphere; three paris
oxygen and one nitrogen form nitric acid, aqsiorf
Combined with other substances, it forms numerous,
acids Salipere is The nitrate Of potash. The large
quantity of oxygen il receives from the nitric acfd
fits it for material in gunpowder-gIvlng 10 'ha
powerful agent its principle power 49,.
pale tumbler, and scrap OF paper, with iille
WATER will enable any teacher or parent TO perform
an experiment on oxygen equally simple, ins'rue-
tive, and interesting. In deep plate pour some wa
Ter. On the water pisce scrap oi Ihick paper
piece of cork or other light substance; on that an
other piece Of paper or cotton, moisiened with OIL
On lighting the paper or cotton, place over large
empty lumbler. The combustion continues Tor
few seconds. and when it is ex,inguished The waller
occupies about one fifth of the space in the tumoer
showing ine necessity cr oxygen for combustion,
and that il constitutes about one-hlh Of the alT we
breathe. What man, woman, or child would not
like to be famarly acquainted with an element 80
abundant and agent so active as oxygen, especially
when such an acquaintance is equally simple useful,
and delightful Josiah Holbrook.
THE 'GREYHouNp.-The modern smooth haired
greyhound is very elegant dog; remarkable for It's
extreme velocity, in which it is, we believe superior
to the rough haired dogs Of The olden lime, though
not to some Of The modern rough greybounds, in
which cross of the old rough breed, OF Scottish
deerhonnd prevails. No greyhounds used for the
hare, equal in speed and endurance those of our is'
land; and none, SO improved of late years is TIE
breed, equal them in symmetry; every action 10
light easv, and elegant yet firm and vigorous
The greyhound is highly sensitive, and very good
tempered; like The Irish wolf dog, it is peaceable &
aifec,onale, and fierce only in The Of lis quarry,
or wher excited 10 combat. On one occasion only,
have we ever seen greyound fight with another
dog; and in that instance, The animal, rogish brin-
die dog was sci upon large dog of a mongred mas
tiff breed and forced to selfdelence. Sh0rI indeed,
was the combat; in few seconds, the aggressor
sunk severely torn, and was taken away. Slim 40
those dogs are their muscular powers are very
great; like the race horse they are compac. of iron
muscle, and ivory bone,wh no loose cellular tissue,
and are consequently deceptive TO the eye, which 10
in general, accustomed TO strength conjoined with
massiveness. YET, we have but to consider the
chest ons, and limbs of a greyhound, and regard
the "tor'' Of the and thighs TO feel assured Of
the possession of great power. The smooth grey.
mound. or glaze hound of the older writer's, follows
exclusively by The eye-whereas all the old rough
breeds, could recover the track of the game by the
powers of smell but in the m0lren dog, every quail
ity is sacrificed 10 aeeness and certainly for sudden
and violent bursts of exertion the present breed has
never been equalled.
Many trials for ascertaining the speed Of the grey
hound have been undertaken, and Daniels opinion
seems to be on the whole. correct. viz that on fiat
ground, first rate race horse would be superior 10
to the greyhound but that in hilly country tie grey
hound would have the advantage Much, however,
IN the latter would depend upon The dog being
Infatuated 10 hilly districts; for greyhound accus-
toned only 10 flat plains, though swlfter on them than
Yorkshire greyhound, would yield 10 the latter in
a hy country. The mare and the greyhound seem
10 be we'll matched the swfness of both animals is
astonishing, and well contested run is an anima-
ting sight. Daniel records the circumstance OF
brace of greyhounds, in Lincolnshire, running hare
from her seal to where she was killed, distance
measuring in straight line upwards of four miles,in
twelve minutes but as there were great many turns
during the course, the actual distance was consider
ably more The hare ran herself TO death before the
ereyhounds touched !Ier.-Knight's History of tic
Dog
CUTTING BUsHEs.-Are there any bushes growing
along your fences If there are, recolect they arc
so many evidences of slovenly farming, and should
be removed. Therefore, seze every spare moment 10
have them cut down lIule below the surface of tho
earth. and ON the crown of every bush thus removed,
throw handful Of salt Two or three such opera
lions will ensure their desruciion.-JMaine Farmer.
srccrss OF AN IMPORTANT ExPERIMESr.-We