Department of Chemistry. 93 



The investigation work of necessity was limited, owing to the pressure 

 of instruction. One subject, however, has been carried to a point where 

 it seems that a note may properly be made of its progress. For some 

 time there has been conducted a study of the determination of the lime 

 requirement of soils. The results of this work seem to show that the 

 methods employed are giving fairly accurate data on the need of lime. 

 Confirming investigations made elsewhere, it is found that the well- 

 drained uplands are more deficient in lime than the bottom lands. 

 Correlated with this may be mentioned some results obtained by the 

 Department of Sanitary Chemistry to the effect that most ground waters 

 in well-drained uplands contain more free carbon-dioxid than do the 

 waters in the lower levels. It appears that the free carbon-dioxid in 

 the ground waters becomes gradually combined as lower levels are reached. 

 This combination is principally with lime. In the lower levels the carbon- 

 dioxid is to a large extent combined, and to a less extent free. This 

 seems to have a bearing on the depletion of some soils of their lime. 

 Work is being continued on this subject in a practical way on some large 

 farms in New York State. 



EXTENSION. 



The extension work performed by this department has consisted of 

 miscellaneous chemical work that has been performed at the request of 

 residents in the State who have submitted samples of different materials. 

 Members of the staff have attended and taken part in seven meetings 

 and six fairs. 



GEORGE W. CAVANAUGH, 

 Professor of Chemistry in Its Relations with Agriculture. 



