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PROPERTIES OF PHOSPHITES.

effect this in a commodious manner, sticks or pieces of phos-phorus may be placed on the inclined side of a glass funnel,whose neck is received in a phial containing a little distilledwater, and its base covered, but not closely. A tube, or smallpieces of glass are put into the neck of the funnel, in order toprevent the phosphorus from falling through into the phial, andto give a free passage to the air of the vessel displaced by thephosphorous acid. Care must be taken that the sticks of phos-phorus touch each other as little as possible

Phosphorous acid with alcaline, terrene, or metallic bases,forms salts called phosphites.

PROPERTIES OF PHOSPHITES.

Phosphites detonate with oxigenated muriate of potash. Whenheated in the open air they yield a phosphorescent flame.

METHODS OF OBTAINING PHOSPHITES.

Phosphite of potash, soda, ammonia, or lime, may be pre-pared by dissolving the respective carbonates in phosphorousacid, and proceeding as directed before. Phosphite of barytesand strontia are produced by mingling together phosphorousacid, and barytic or strontia water. * Phosphite of magnesia isobtained by mingling phosphite of potash or soda with sulphateof magnesia. Phosphite of alumine may be produced by satura-ting phosphorous acid with alumine.