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NATURAL HISTORY OF AGUSTINE.

AGUSTINE,

PART LXII.

NATURAL HISTORY OF AGUSTINE.

This is a new earth discovered in the Saxon Beryl, or Berylof Georgien Stadt, a stone greatly resembling the Beryl of Sibe-ria, by professor TromsdorfF of Erfurth in Germany,* to whichhe has given the name of agustine on account of the property offorming salts which are nearly destitute of taste.

PROPERTIES OF AGUSTINE.

Agustine is white and insipid; when moistened with waterit is somewhat ductile, but is not soluble in that fluid. Exposedto a violent heat, it becomes extremely hard, but acquires notaste. It combines with acids, forming salts, which have littleor no taste. It does not combine either in the humid or dry waywith alcalies, or with their carbonates. It retains carbonic acidbut feebly. It dissolves in acids equally well after having beenhardened, by exposure to heat, as when newly precipitated.With sulphuric acid it forms a salt which is insipid, and scarcelysoluble, but an excess of acid renders it soluble, and capable ofcrystallizing in stars. With an excess of phosphoric acid it formsa very soluble salt. With nitrous acid it forms a salt scarcelysoluble.

* Ann. de Chcmic, xxxiv, 133.