EXPLANATION OF TERMS. ABSORB-to soak in a liquid or a gas. ABSTRACT to take from. ACID-sour; a sour substance. AGRICULTURE—the art of cultivating the soil. ALKALI-the direct opposite of an acid, with which it has a tendency to unite. ALUMINA-the base of clay. ANALYSIS-separating into its primary parts any compound sub stance. CARBONATE a compound, consisting of carbonic acid and an alkali. CAUSTIC-burning. CHLORIDE-a compound containing chlorine. CLEVIS that part of a plow by which the drawing power is attached. DECOMPOSE-to separate the constituents of a body from their combinations, forming new kinds of compounds. DIGESTION the decomposition of food in the stomach and intestines of animals (agricultural). DEW-deposit of the insensible vapor of the atmosphere on cold bodies. EXOREMENT the matter given out by the organs of plants and animals, being those parts of their food which they are unable to assimilate. FERMENTATION—a kind of decomposition. GAS-air-aeriform matter. GURNEYISM-see Mulching. INGREDIENT-Component part. INORGANIC-mineral, or earthy. MOULDBOARD—that part of a surface plow which turns the sod. MULCHING-Covering the soil with litter, leaves, or other refuse matter. See p. 247. NEUTRALIZE-To overcome the characteristic properties of. ORGANIO MATTER that kind of matter which at times possesses an organized (or living) form, and at others exists as a gas in the atmosphere. OXIDE—a compound of oxygen with a metal. PHOSPHATE—a compound of phosphoric acid with an alkali. SATURATE to fill the pores of any substance, as a sponge with water, or charcoal with ammonia. SILICATE—a compound of silica with an alkali. SOLUBLE-capable of being dissolved. SOLUTION—a liquid containing another substance dissolved in it. SATURATED SOLUTION-one which contains as much of the foreign substance as it is capable of holding. SPONGIOLES-the mouths at the ends of roots. SULPHATE—a compound of sulphuric acid with an alkali. VAPOR―gas. PATENT MOWING MACHINES. YETCHUM'S The greatest Improvement ever made for Simplicity, Durability, and Ease of Action. It is now beyond a question, from the complete triumph over all other machines this season, that this is the only successful Grass Cutter known. It is in fact the only machine that has ever cut all kinds of grass without clogging or interruption. More than 1000 have been sold the present season under the following warranty, and not in a single instance have we been called on to take one back. (Warranty:) That said machines are capable of Cutting and Spreading, with one span of horses and driver, from ten to fifteen acres per day, of any kind of grass, heavy or light, wet or dry, lodged or standing, and do it as well as is done with a scythe by the best mowers. The price of our machine, with two sets of knives and extras, is $110, cash, delivered on board of cars or boat, free of charge. HOWARD & CO., Manufacturers and Proprietors, Buffalo, N, Y. Buffalo, Aug. 1, 1853. RUGGLES, NOURSE, Mason & Co., Manufacture Ketchum's Mower for New England. WARDER & BROKAW, Springfield, Ohio; for Southern Ohio and Kentucky. SEYMOUR & MORGAN, Brockport, N. Y.; for Michigan and Illinois. JUST PUBLISHED D. APPLETON & COMPANY A new and much enlarged edition of DICTIONARY OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES Containing a clear Exposition of their principles and practice. Illus trated with nearly 1,600 engravings. Complete in two large 8vo. volumes; counts over 2,000 pages. Price $5.00. This new edition is nearly a quarter of a century in advance of any previous one. It contains one third more matter than the latest previous one. The statistics, inventions, and improvements, are all brought down to the present time. The results of the London Exhibition on the respective subjects of which the Dictionary treats, are presented with great fulness and accurracy. The numerous errors in the typography of the London edition have been corrected in this. SIR CHARLES LYELL'S PRINCIPLES OF GEOLOGY; Or, the Modern Changes of the Earth and its Inhabitants, considered as illustrative of Geology. A new and much enlarged edition. Illustrated with maps, plates, and wood-cuts. 1 vol. 8vo., of 850 . pages. Price $2.25. SIR CHARLES LYELL'S MANUAL OF ELEMENTARY GEOLOGY; Or, the Ancient Changes of the Earth and its Inhabitants, as illustrated by Geological Monuments. A new and greatly enlarged edition. Illustrated with 500 wood-cuts. 1 vol. 8vo. Price $1.75. *The author of these works, stands in the very front rank of scientific men, and his works upon the science to which he has devoted his great powers and his indefatigable study, are the standard books upon these subjects. APPLETON'S MODERN ATLAS OF THE EARTH. With an Alphabetical Index of the Latitudes and Longitudes of 18,000 places. Thirty-four beautifully engraved and colored maps, with Temperature Scales. 4to. size, bound in 1 vol., royal 8vo. Price $3.50. This is the only complete portable Modern Atlas yet published The maps are engraved on steel, and executed with great clearness, distinctness and accuracy. The delineations of mountainous districts, the sources of rivers and boundary lines, have been made with great care It is designed for the table of the Student and the office of the Professional Man, and is issued in a very finished and elegant style, and embraces extensive details of all the important parts of the Earth. D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. Popular Science. The Chemistry of Common Life. BY JAMES F. W. JOHNSTON, M.A., F.R.SS. L. & E., &c. ADVERTISEMENT. THE Common life of man is full of wonders, Chemical and Physiological. Most of us pass through this life without seeing or being sensible of them, though every day our existence and our comforts ought to recall them to our minds. One main cause of this is, that our schools tell us nothing about them-do not teach those parts of modern learning which would fit us for seeing them. What most concerns the things that daily occupy our attention and cares, are in early life almost sedulously kept from our knowledge. Those who would learn any thing regarding them, must subsequently teach themselves through the help of the press: hence the necessity for a Popular Chemical Literature. It is with a view to meet this want of the Public, and at the same time to supply a Manual for the Schools, that the present work has been projected. It treats, in what appears to be their natural order, of THE AIR WE BREATHE and THE WATER WE DRINK, in their relations to human life and health-THE SOIL WE CULTIVATE AND THE PLANT WE REAR, as the sources from which the chief sustenance of all life is obtained-THE BREAD WE EAT and THE BEEF WE COOK, as the representatives of the two grand divisions of human food-THE BEVERAGES WE INFUSE, from which so much of the comfort of modern life, both savage and civilized, is de rived-THE SWEETS WE EXTRACT, the history of which presents so striking an illustration of the economical value of chemical science-THE LIQUORS WE FERMENT, SO different from the sweets in their action on the system, and yet so closely connected with them in chemica history-THE NARCOTICS WE INDULGE IN, as presenting us with an aspect of the human con stitution which, both chemically and physiologically, is more mysterious and wonderful than any other we are acquainted with- THE ODOURS WE ENJOY and THE SMELLS WE DISLIKE; th former because of the beautiful illustration it presents of the recent progress of organi chemistry in its relations to comforts of common life, and the latter because of its intimate connection with our most important sanitary arrangements-WHAT WE BREATHE FOR and WHY WE DIGEST, as functions of the body at once the most important to life, and the most purely chemical in their nature--THE BODY WE CHERISHI, as presenting many striking phenomena, and performing many interesting chemical functions not touched upon in the discussion of the preceding topics-and lastly, THE CIRCULATION OF MATTER, as exbibiting in one view the end, purpose, and method of all the changes in the natural body, in organic nature, and in the mineral kingdom, which are connected with and determine the existence of life. It has been the object of the Author in this Work to exhibit the present condition of themical knowledge and of matured scientific opinion upon the subjects to which it is devoted. The reader will not be surprised, therefore, should he find in it some things which differ from what is to be found in other popular works already in his hands or on the shelves of his library. The Work is being published in 5 or 6 NUMBERS, price 25 cents each, in the following order, forming 1 vol. 12mo. of about 400 pages. 1. The AIR we Breathe and 7. The BEVERAGES we Infuse. 10. The NARCOTICS we Indulge in. 12. The SMELLS we Dislike. 13. What we BREATHE and BREATHE' FOR, and 14. What, How, and Why we DIGEST 15. The BODY we Cherish, and 16. The CIRCULATION of MATTER, a Recapitulation. |