154 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



It would unnecessarily burden these pages to give hero in full the reports for- 

 warded to the farmers who sent the samples, but sufficient is said in connection with 

 the analytical data to point out the general character of the waters. 



It would only be reiterating what has been said in previous reports were I to 

 state here the reasons why it is ot paramount importance to have pure water on the 

 farm. It is only necessary to add that such is indispensable for the good health of man 

 and beast, and that it is only a matter of time before the effects of an impure supply 

 are apparent to those who choose to see them, indeed to all but the most careless. 

 I am well assured that much sickness on the farm and poor results in the stable 

 and dairy are to be attributed to polluted water, rather than to the causes which 

 many now assign them. 



It is remarkable that only a very small proportion of those who write for (and 

 receive) the instructions we issue for taking the water, forward a sample. It 

 indicates that many do not consider the knowledge of the character of their well 

 water as worth the trouble and expense consequent upon sending the samj^le. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



EXPEEIMENTS TOWARDS THE IMPEOYEMBNT OF CERTAIN 



SALINE WATERS. 



From the examination in our laboratories of several samples of saline, or, as 

 they are usually called, alkaline waters from the North-west Territories and 

 Manitoba, it has become apparent that many contain a large amount of Epsom salts or 

 sulphate of magnesium. In some instances this is associated with other saline matter, 

 as sulphate and chloride of sodium (Glauber's salt and common salt), but it 

 often occurs that the Epsom salts is the chief, if not the only, foreign saline material. 

 The well known purgative effect on man and animals which follows the drinking of 

 such waters makes their improvement a subject of the greatest importance, 

 especially to those situated in localities where ready access to a supply of pure 

 water is not attainable. 



To the end of being able to suggest a method of treatment that would result in 

 making these waters potable, the following experiments were made: 



A. To 50 c.c. of a saline water containing Epsom salts were added 100 c.c. of 

 lime water, which precipitated the magnesia as the flocculent hydrate. After 

 settling till the supernatant fluid was clear, the whole was filtered, and the 

 filtrate tested for magnesia with negative results. The washings of the magnesium 

 hydrate however showed traces, pointing to the fact that while magnesium hydrate 

 is insoluble in dilute lime water, it is slightly soluble in pure water, probably owing 

 to the latter containing some carbonic acid gas in solution. 



B. To 100 c.c. of a I per cent solution of Epsom salts (MgS04, 7 II2O) 200 c.c. 

 of lime-water were added. After standing several hours and filtering, 100 c.c. of the 

 filtrate, after separation of the lime, were tested for magnesia. A very slight pre- 

 cipitation ensued. This precipitate was carefully determined and found to be 

 equal to "00064 gram of magnesium oxide. By calculation it is ascertained, there- 

 fore, that 1*18 per cent, of the original amount of Epsom salts was still in solution, or 

 in other words, the 1 per cent, of Epsom salts had been reduced by this treatment 

 to '01 per cent. 



These experiments being considered very fairly successful and satisfactory in 

 showing that lime-water can precipitate the magnesia in an inert form, the next 

 step was to ascertain if, after treatment, simple exposure of the water to air would 

 serve to separate out the excess of lime used for precipitating the magnesia as the 

 insoluble carbonate. For it should be noted that the water after the precipitation of 

 the magnesia is strongly alkaline and caustic, due to the presence of the lime as already 

 explained. The experiment now to be detailed offers a solution to this question. 



C. The saline water used was taken from the same sample as that employed in ex- 

 periment A. It was forwarded from near Regina, N. W.T., and contained 715 grains of 

 Epsom salts to the gallon. To 100 c.c. of the water were added 200 c.c. of lime-water. 



