The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-03-06

acid. In this vessel have q line white
powder in mass, ms you see; it is pure
bone powder. Now, this is composed of
lime and phosphoric acid: it is a phos-
phate, but not .uper-phosphate of lime,
because it holds three parts of lime and
only one of acid. If it was like the pow
der in this vessel I have in my hand, it
would hold only one part or equivalent
Of lime, with the same of acid, and then
it would be super-phosphate.
4 sLime is substance the nature OF
which you very we'll understand, but of
phosphoric acid you know less. l can
show you here upon the table this most
interesting acid in two forms; in the
phial l have what is known as glacial
phosphoric acid. 1t resembles ice, and
hence its name-a very beautiful SUBJ
stance, hard, transparent, and intensely
sour. In this phial we have it in the
form of a clear colorless liquor, about as
dense as syrup. This is prepared from
the jet black super-phosphate you see
upon the table. Phosphoric acid is an
indispensable constituent of plants; not
plant exists which has it not. How 1t
happened TO become necessary i'll plants,
this wonderful acid, we do not know. In
bones it exists locked up most firmly.
Every molecule or little particle is in the
embrace of three molecules or atoms of
lime, and they hold it so tenaciously,
that we, caruot make it available for
plants unless we proceed to violently tear
the molecules asunder and drive the lime
into new combinations. This we accom-
plish by the aid of strong sulphuric acid,
oil of vitriol.
Now, let US understand this matter, so
that wheh Mr.. Davis mixes that fiery
liquid, that carboy Of vitriol, with those
two barrels of bone charcoal, we shall
know just what happens. Vitriol, you
say, will burn our clothing, our flesh,
and so it will, and yet we are going to
pour it on to that bone, and in one hour
not an ounce of the vitriol will exist as
such. The black liquid will seethe, and
boil,and hot steam will rise, and in one
hour Jon can 'put your hand into the
mass. and handle it rs you can sugar
What becomes Of the yitriel? | viii! tell
you. The bone. is composed, as We have
said, of three equivalents of lime and one
of phosphoric acid. Now, the vitriol has
a,strong liking for lime, or it seizes hold
of it whenever it can reach it, and be-
comes locked up in its embrace, and Sul-
phatc of Hmc>is formed. This is the gyp.
sum, or plaster with which you are well
acquainted. The whole of that ten gal
Ions of acid is to become locked up with
the lime in those barrels of bone, and it
will disappear in its new combination
completely, and now you ask, what be-
comes of the phosphorie acid7 Well,
that is a pertinent question. AS soon as
the vitriol seizes the lime, the phosphoric
acid is set free US it were, but kind of
vacuum exists; the condition of the acid
is an unnatural one, and hence it asso-
ciates itself with an amount of water suf-
fcient to replace the lost lime. The
vitriol will seize but two of the three
atoms of lime, and so the phosphoric
acid is left in the form of what chemists
designate a mono calcic phosphate: that
is, it holds one equivalent OF lime and
two Of water, and now it has become sol
uble. We have prepared a vat full Of
super phosphate, and that is composed OF
acid soluble in water, lime,
and gypsum; by far the largest proper
ton of the bulk is gypsum.
1T has been my endeayor to avoid the
use of technical terms, the true language
of chemistry, in order to render every
statement Ineligible TO you. Twill now
venture to put,up pom the,blackboard some
diagrams, or tables, which l hope will
make very plain the reactions or changes
which bones undergo in manufacturing
There are three forms
of phosphate OF lime: that is, lime is
held by pbosphoric acid in three proper
tions, and in naming them must use
the chemical terms. Your attention is
called to the illustration upon the black
board: