510 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



TABLE I.— THE EFFECT OF PARAFFIN OIL ON THE SURFACE TENSION OF DISTILLED 



WATER. 



From the above they concluded that the oil has no influence upon the 

 surface tension. They extracted peat with hot water and filtered and 

 used such a solution because changes would more readily reveal them- 

 selves, due to the variable and complex nature of the substances in the 

 solution. A large amount of finely sliced paraffin was introduced into 

 203 CC. of the solution and the conductivity determined after one-half 

 hour, one hour, and three hours. In each case, it was exactly the same, 

 —0.00147 ohms. 



2. In the test of the effect of the oil on the soluble salts, the solution 

 was kept with a trace of HgGlo to prevent •biochemical changes taking 

 place. The resistance was measured after contact with oil lasting 1, 2, 

 3, 4 and 14 hours, without any change whatsoever. In check experi- 

 ments Avhere the time of contact was even 24 hours, no change could be 

 detected. 



To make sure that no disturbing influences Avere present during the 

 extraction, electrical conductivity was measured of successive portions 

 of 40 CC. of the soil solution as they flowed out of the cylinder. 



TABLE II.— COMPARISON OF ELECTRO-CONDUCTIVITY OF SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF 



SOIL SOLUTION. 



Where larger portions were taken and time of extraction was longer: 



A' This portion of table only, from Van Suchtelen and Itano's unpublished work. 



