Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-08-12
Agricultural Geology.
Ely JOSIAH HOLBEOoB.
No. III.-ELEuENTs or Rocks.

is the principal element of quartz, IN all
its varieties, which are exceedingly nu-
merous, and some of them very beautiful
Quartz is the only mineral found every
where Sand is pulverizcd quartz. pebbles
are fragments Of quartz. rounded by attrl-
ton. Gunfint is quart breaking with
conehoidal (shell llke) fracture. Jasper
is red quartz, with a fine compact texture.
Amethyst is purple quartz, frequently
found in six sided crystals, which is the
common shape of quartz in Its different
varieties. Agate is clouded quartz, in nu-
merous varieties, some of which are much
used for watch seals, finger rings, breast
pins, and other ornaments. Comedian Is a
quartz of a ycllowish red color. Chalce-
dony, blood-stone. catscye and many other
gems, are varieties Of quartz.
Most, perhaps all, the gems used in the
breast-plate of Aaron the highpriest, 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 for
ming the streets of the New Jerusalem,
with all the gems referred to, were but
varieties of the stones used for paving our
streets, aud Of the earth moved by the pillow
and the hoe Of the farmer, and of the dirt
carted for filing our docks.
The coloring matter giving most of the
beautiful hues to gems, and an endless va
riety of colors to quartz, is the oxide of
silicum and the oxide of iron are hence
united in this same most abundant min
eral in the world.
Next to quartz, felspar, or clay formed
by the decomposition of fclspar, IS the
most abundant element of soils. This.
too, is composed of several oxides of met
ais In chemical combination Felspar is
also very extensively united with quartz
IN the formation Of rocks, not by chemical
combination, but mechanical mixture
The felspar and the quartz can be separa-
ted by the hammer. Not 50 with the OK
ygen and silicum forming slick Chemical
agency alone can separate chemical com
binations Such combinations in rocks
soils, and other mineral bodies. are ex-
ceedingly numerous, complicated, and deli
cate The most common stone that meets
the eye in any part of the world is com
posed of two oxides The oxygen and
metals are each united by chemical affini-
ty, and then the two oxides are again com
bined by the same agency to form ''cOHt-
mon sto,te,n evidently worthy of more re
spect than it commonly receives.
An experiment Pour upon a little
pearlash in a tumbler some strong vine
gar An effervescence will follow. produ-
cling carbonic acid \ burning candle i'm
mersed will be extineuishcd, showing that
carbonic acid IS fatal to combustion. 1t
is equally 50 to life.
No IV-ELElrENrs OF SOILS.
Felspar is composed Of four oxides-si-
lex, alumina or clay, iron, and potash 81
lex predominates OF quartz in all its
varieties, it Is the principal: aluminous or
clay soils contain frequently twice as much
slick as alumina the quantity of iron and
potash in felspar is small, not often over
two or three per cent.
1t appears then that sand is composed
of two oxides or chemical combinations
again combined by the same agency
Felspar or clay is composed of four oxides.
also combined by chemical affinity. to
form compound still more complex than
quartz or sand. The quartz aud felspar
are combined by mechanical mixture to
form rocks and soils.
1t hence follows, that in these two ele-
ments of soils quartz and feIspar, or sand
and clay, are not less than six c0mbina-
tions of ultimate principles. or oxygen
and metals, all by chemical affinity, and
two combinations at least of those COM
pounds forming those two elements. These
six chemical compounds, again compound
ed by chemical agency. are then united
by mechanical mixtures to form rocks
aud soils.
Quartz and felspar are not only the es-
scntial clements of soils but also among
the most important materials in the arts Of
civilization. The principal material of
glass is quartz that of porcelain, fclspar.
The presence of potash, soda, or some
alkaline substance acting as flux Is in
dispensable in the manufacturing of each
of these important articles Of domestic
economy.
After performing the important agency
Of producing vegetation-of course fur
nishing our wheat, our corn, our beef, and
our pork-quartz of a porous character
constitutes the French burr, for changing
grains into flour. Pulyerized quartz,
cemented by iron into sandstone, forms
our grindstones, for sharpening the axes
and chisels of the mechanic and the knives
aud scissors of the housckeeper For
some animals it is essential to the process
Of digestion fowls cannot live without
it
Everything animate; every product of
nature and of art every human being in
every position and condition of lifc-thc
sturdy farmer, the busy mechanic, the
industrious housekeepcr. the delicate re
fined lady, the polished gentleman. the
enlightened teacher. the wise statesman,
and the noisy politician in word, every
thing which has physical existence, bears
visible testimony to the necessity Of this
important element of mountains. rocks.
and soils-of quartz, sand-~a common
stone
Experiment Shake tumblcr,c ontain-
ing a little newly-slakcd lime aud some
water let the tumblcr stand till the lime
settles and the water becomes clear
pour the water into another tumbler and
blow into it air from tile lungs through n
quill or pipe-stem; the clear water be