SOILS PERTTLTZERS, 515 



13-19). — Mechanical and chemical analyses are given of soils froin the Cam- 

 bridge University farm, the Isle of Ely, and from varions parts of Cambridge- 

 shire, 



A description of the soil-geology of Ireland, based upon geological survey 

 maps and records, with notes on climate, J. \l. Kilkoio (DiiJ>Ii)i: Dcpt. Agr. 

 and Tech. Instr. Ireland, 1907, pp. 300, pi. I, flan. 7'.'/. mai) I ; ah.s. in Nature 

 [London], 77 {1901), No. 198 ',, p. //).— This treatise is based upon tlie worlv of 

 the Geological Survey of Ireland begun in 1857 and completed in 3900, of which 

 an important feature in the earlier stages was an examination of soils and 

 subsoils. 



The first section of the work gives general information regarding the origin, 

 formation, nature, and functions of soils and soil constituents, roclis and their 

 lithological characters, and superficial deposits. Section two deals with geo- 

 logical formations from an agricultural point of view. Section three discusses 

 the drifts of Ireland and their relation to the soils of the four provinces. The 

 fourth section discusses the climate of Ireland in its agricultural relations. 



Studies on Swedish soils, M. Weibull {Jour. Landw., 55 {1907), No. 3, pp. 

 215-231, pis. 2; abs. in Chem. Zentbl., 1907, IT, No. 9, p. 72-); Joiir. Chem. 8oc. 

 \London],92 {1907), No. 53S, II, p. 6^9). — Chemical and mechanical analyses 

 of i;>5 soils as well as field tests of the potash and phosphoric acid requirements 

 of the soils are reported. 



It was found that the determination of alumina soluble in concentrated sul- 

 phuric acid is an especially suitable method for classifying Swedish moraine 

 soils. For this puri>ose 10 gm. of soil is moistened with a very small amount 

 of water and boiled for 4 hours, after foaming has ceased, with SO cc. of con- 

 centrated sulphuric acid, a small amount of copiier oxid (CuO) and 5 gm. of 

 potassium sulphate. 



Determination of phosphoric acid soluble in 18 per cent hydrochloric acid 

 gave information as to the phosphoric acid requirements only in case of soils 

 containing very small amounts of phosphoric acid or those planted to hoed ci'ops. 



The i)otash requirements of the soils could generally be judged by the com- 

 bined determinations of potash soluble in warm strong hydrochloric acid and 

 of alumina soluble in concentrated sulphuric acid. Such determinations are 

 of special imi^ortance because the Swedish soils are generally clayey and of 

 medium potash content. 



Composition of Egyptian soils; analyses of soils and silts of the Nile, 

 H. Pellet and R. Roche {Bui. Assoc. Chim. Sucr. et Distill., 24 {1907), No. 12, 

 pp. 1691-1698; Intcrnat. Sugar Jour., 9 {1907), No. 105, pp. i,J,2-'i50 ; Eal. Inst. 

 Egyptien, 5. ser., 1 {1907), No. 1, pp. 93-99). — A compilation is given of physi- 

 cal and chemical analyses of Egyirtiau soils, mainly of the Nag-Ham:uli region, 

 by the authors and by other investigators. 



The results show that the soils of this region are quite uniform in general 

 composition, containing from 5 to 7 per cent of lime, 20 to 65 per cent of sand, 20 

 to 60 per cent of clay, and 0.8 to 1.3 per cent of humus. The soils are as a rule 

 very compact. 



. In the analyses reported by the authors the jihosphoric acid varied from 0.14 

 to 0.23 per cent, with an average of 0.18 per cent ; the potash from 0.16 to 0..S7 

 l)er cent, with an average of 0.23 per cent; the organic nitrogen from 0.04 to 

 0.14 per cent, with an average of 0.07 per cent ; and the nitric nitrogen from 

 to 0.04 per cent, with an average of 0.004 per cent. The soils showed an un- 

 usually high percentage (1 to 3 per cent) of magnesia. The water-soluble ma- 

 terial varied from 0.04 to 0.12 per cent. 



Analyses of the Nile silt showed this materia! to be of practically the same 

 compositiou as the soils of the valley. 



