The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-11-23

, a more massive as we'll as crystallizable form.
Alumina forms the chief Ingredient of all clay,
and most of the slaty rocks from which, through
disintegration, the clays are chiefly derived
Pure Alumni, however, is fine white powder,
quite unalterable in the FIRE. We frequently
meet with it in chemical laboratories, precipita-
ted from its solution in acids by alkalies it
forms in this condition very bulky gelatinous
hydrate, which when dried at o gentle tenn
perature, is found to consist of aluminium 2
equivalents, oxygen 8, and water 6. When
dry alumina is mixed with water, it forms a
plastic mass which admits of being moulded
This Elasticity is impaired to the clay by the
alumina but were it absent, no potter could
produca earthern-ware or porcelain.
Aside from imparting tepacity and frmness
to the soil of which it constitutes part, il alb
serbs moisture from the atmosphere, and with
ammonia forms true salts. 1t also acts either
as an acid or an alkali, because like an acid it
unites with the alkaline bases of potassa, lime,
and baryta; like an alkali by forming salts
with an acid. Our red and yellow clays are
united with lime, magnesia and sometimes with
potash. q @ l -
POTASSIUM is d metal of blush white col
or, and has metallic luster in a very high de-
gree. If portion of this metal is placed in
ycssal and covered with naptha "a transpar-
rent mineral fluid, containing no oxygen what
evcr), and then gentle heat applied, it will
be found that it melts at temperature con-
siderably less than that of boiling water; and
while in this state it much resembles quick
silver or mercury. 1t is lighter than water,
and consequently floats on it. Potassium has
SO great affinity for oxygen that unless kept
in vessel under naptha, it is in short time
converted into white solid oxide, in which
1,ff ctofa xvo kpov II hast Everv ono is IA
miliar with it under the name of Potash; COM
bined with nitric acid, potash forms the saltpe
tire of commerce. In consequence of the
strong affinity which Potassium has for oxygen,
it readily decomposes the oxides or chlorides
of aluminium, es we'll as silicic acid.
Oxide of Iron or Iron Rust, is perhaps the
most widely disseminated of all metals There
is scarcely a mineral, soil, or rock which
does not contain, in greater or less quantity,
the oxide of iron. Chalybeate waters are so
called because they contain in solution the
carbonate of Iron. Iron has a strong affinity
for oxygen.
lion not only constitutes portion of the
food of plants, but acts as a concentrator or
condenser of gases from the atmosphere which
form a part of the food Peroxide of Iron
and alumina, says Liebig, are distinguished
from all other metallic oxides, by their form
ing solid compounds with ammonia. The pre-
cipitates obtained by the addition of ammonia
to salts of alumina or iron are true salts in
which the ammonia is contained as a base
Minerals containing alumina or oxides of iron
also possess in an eminent degree the remark
able property of attracting ammonia from the
atmosphere and retaining it. Soils therefore
containing the oxides of iron and burned clay,
must abso r5 ammonia, an action which is favor
ed by their porous condition. they further pre-
vent by their chemical properties the escape of
the ammonia once absorbed. Such soils act
indeed precisely as mineral acid would do if
extensively spread over their surface. The
ammonia absorbed by the clay of ferruginous
oxides is separated by every shower of rain
and conveyed i'll solution to the roots of the
plant.
MICA occurs confusedly crystallized as one
of the constituents of granite, at other times
it is found in large hexagonal or six-sided
plates in porphyry and primitive limestone
1t is commonly called Isinglass, from its re-
marka5le transparency. The analysis by Klap-
roth gives
Alumina -20. 90
Slhca ---------------- IOO
Oxide of Iron. 1850
Oxide Of Manganese Observation-Disclosures LII
POtassa ID 50
All these ingredients have just been described
with the exception of the manganese, which is
not always found in soils and yet more rarely
found in plants, so rarely as not to be indis-
pensably necessary to the ground or luxuri-
ance of the plant. 1t is always found in some
compound form, never as pure metal. When
artifcially produced the metal Is hard, brittle,
of grayish white color; metal it is not
applied to any useful purpose but the various
oxides extensively used in chemical manu-
factures.
The remaining undescribed ingredient of
the granite rock is hornblende-this occurs
crystallized with the feldspar and quartz. The
crystals are confused and aggregated; some.
times however, the are long fiat and hexagonai
and prismatic-exhibiting fbers which are
tough and rather difficult to break. Accord
ing to Claproth it contains
silica a------------------ 4zUO
Alumlna- 1ZOO
Lime ------------- llOU
Magnesia- 2.25
Oxide of Iron 900
Ferruginous Manganese ese------ rs,
In the hornblende we find two substances,
Lime and Magnesia, which have not yet been
noticed.
The metal mentioned by metallurgists and
chemists calcium or lime, is very little known,
but is described as being metal of dark gray
color. The metal rapidly oxidizes in the at
mosphere; in this state it is known to all as
quick-limc. Lime N the form cf carbonite
is very abundant, and in this form we recog-
nize it as marble, common limestone, chalk,
oyster and muscle shells. Sulphate of lime is
gypsum or plaster of Paris, SO also is alabaster
this latter is much finer however than the
gypsum. Common limestone or marble, when
burned, becomes quick-lime The phenomen-
on of stacking quick-lime is familiar to all-in
this process every ton of limestone absorbs one
fourth of ton of water, which becomes part
of the stone itself. The action of lime in the
soil is not yet thoroughly understood; but some
writer's assume that it promotes the decay of
organic matters contained in the soil, hasten