NITRATE OF SODA

Cubical Nitre ( Nitrate de soude , Fr.; Würfelsalpeter , Germ.); occurs under the nitre upon the lands in Spain, India, Chile, and remarkably in Peru, in the districts of Atacama and Taracapa, where it forms a bed several feet thick. It appears in several places upon the surface, and extends over a space of more than 40 leagues, approaching near to the frontiers of Chile. It is sometimes efflorescent, sometimes crystallized, but oftener confusedly mixed with clay and sand. This immensely valuable deposit is only three days’ journey from the port of Conception in Chile, and from Iquiqui, another harbour situated in the southern part of Peru. Nitrate of soda may be artificially prepared by neutralizing nitric acid with soda, and crystallizing the solution. It crystallizes in rhomboids, has a cooling, pungent, bitterish taste, le disagreeable than nitre; it becomes moist in the air; di olves in 3 parts of water at 60° F., in le than 1 part of boiling water; deflagrates more slowly than nitre, and with an orange yellow flame. It consists, in its dry state, of 36·6 soda and 63·4 nitric acid; but its crystals contain one prime equivalent of water; hence they are composed of, acid 56·84, base 33·68, water 9·47. It is susceptible of the same applications as nitre, with the exception of making gunpowder; for which it is not adapted, on account of its deliquescent property.