The Farmer's magazine . and the chlorine andjpotassium having com-bined together, remain behind in the form of a whitesalt, called chloride of potassium. I will place a little chlorate of potash in this test-tube. On applying the heat of a spirit-lamp the saltwill first melt, and then eiFervesce, from the gas es-caping. The heavier oxygen will drive all the com-mon air out of the tube. If now a small piece of paperor wood be lighted, and the iiame be blown out, so asto leave a little portion of the end red hot, and then beintroduced into the tube, the paper or wood will im-mediately burst into
The Farmer's magazine . and the chlorine andjpotassium having com-bined together, remain behind in the form of a whitesalt, called chloride of potassium. I will place a little chlorate of potash in this test-tube. On applying the heat of a spirit-lamp the saltwill first melt, and then eiFervesce, from the gas es-caping. The heavier oxygen will drive all the com-mon air out of the tube. If now a small piece of paperor wood be lighted, and the iiame be blown out, so asto leave a little portion of the end red hot, and then beintroduced into the tube, the paper or wood will im-mediately burst into a flame. If a small piece of ignited wood, such as a piece of alucifer, be dropped into the melted chlorate of potash,a most powerful action, attended with a vivid light,takes place, and the wood is, as you see, entirely con-sumed. Fig. 1 represents the mode of performing this expe-rinitnt, and the action vhich takes place. (Fig. I).. All experiments with the chlorate of potash should be carefully conducted, as it is apt to explode withcombustible substances even in the cold. When oxygen is required to be made from chlorateof potash in large quantities, it is preferable to mixabout one-fourth of oxide of copper or oxide of man-ganese with it; as the gas is then liberated at a muchlower temperature. Oxygen gas is also given out in nature, from the de-composition of some of its combinations. Tlie vege-table world is the great source of oxygen. Vegetablespossess the power of decomposing two compounds ofoxygen, carbonic acid and loater, and of retaining thecarbon of the one, and the hydrogen of the other, toform their own tissues. This operation, liowever, onlygoes on in the light of the sun or in the effulgence ofday. The process is this:—Plants have roots andleaves. By the roots they take up moisture from thesoil, aiid in this moisture are dissolved those substanceswhich plants require for their subsistence. To for
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookidfarmersmagazine21, booksubjectagriculture
