42 Sir Robert Kane oti the Composition and Characters 



2. Results of the Analyses of the Soils. 

 The general character of all the soils submitted to exami- 

 nation was that of light, sandy loams, in some cases almost 

 purely sandy ; excessively loose in texture, non-coherent and 

 permeable : usually rich in organic matters containing nitro- 

 gen. These soils all coloured water boiled upon them, and 

 gave to it a sensible, though very small, quantity of alkaline 

 and earthy salts. 



A. Soil from Heestert, in the Courtrai district : — 



Composition per cent. 



Potash 0-160 . 



Soda 0-298 



Peroxide of iron . . « . 3*298 

 Oxide of manganese . . . a trace 



Alumina 2-102 



Lime 0-357 



Magnesia 0-202 



Sulphuric acid 0*025 



Phosphoric acid. . . . . 0*121 



Chloride of sodium . . . 0*017 



Organic matter and water"! qioq 



not driven off at 212° J -^ ^^-^ 



Clay 14*920 



Sand 75-080 



99*703 



Loss 0*297 



100*000 



B. Soil from Escamaffles, some of the very best flax lands 

 of the Courtrai district: — 



Composition per cent. 



Potash 0*123 



Soda 0*14.6 



Peroxide of iron .... 1*663 

 Oxide of manganese ... a trace 



Alumina 1*383 



Lime 0-227 



Magnesia 0*153 



Sulphuric acid 0'017 



Phosphoric acid . . . . 0-152 



Chloride of sodium . . . 0*030 



Organic matter and water"! „ „. 



not driven off" at 212° J ^'"^^^ 



Clay 9*280 



Sand 84*065 



99-600 



Loss '400 



100-000 



