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NATURAL HISTORY OF LIMB.

JLIME.

PART LXX.

SECT. I.

NATURAL HISTORY OF LIME.

JL HIS substance we have transferred from the class of earth,and placed it among the alcalies, for it possesses all the charac-teristic properties of these bodies in a striking manner, its spar-ing solubility in water only excepted.

Lime is found in great abundance in nature, though neverpure, or in an uncombined state. It is always united to an acid,and very frequently to the carbonic acid, as in chalk, commonlime-stone, marble, calcareous spar, &c. It is contained in thewaters of the ocean; it is found in vegetables ; and is the basisof the bones, shells, and other hard parts of animals. Its com-bination with sulphuric acid is known by the name of sulphateof lime ( gypsum , or plaster of Paris). Combined with fluoricacid it constitutes fluate of lime, or Derbyshire spar.