848 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



On the distribution of chlorin in Yorkshire, II, W. Ackkovd (7i'y//. Ih-il'ixli 

 A^soc. Adr. Set., 1901, p. 60o). — As a result of many oljservations, it is shown that 

 chlorin increases from 0.7 to 1 part per 100,000 of water in the west and northwest, 

 where the rivers originate, to 1.7 to 2 in the east and southeast. The normal chlorin 

 content apparently increases in the vicinity of manufacturing centers, and is also 

 increased liy the prevalence of high winds from the sea. 



On the circulation of salt and its g-eological bearings, AV. Ackrovd {RyA. 

 British Assoc. Adv. Sci., 1901, ]>]>. 654, 655). — The bearing of the salt carried inland 

 from the sea on estimates of the geological age of the earth and on the saltiness of 

 inland lakes and salt hills is discussed. 



On the supply of sodium and chlorin by the rivers to the sea, PL Dubois 

 (Proc. See. Sri., KoninJd. Akad. Weteiisrii. Anistcrddiii, 4 {1901-2), pp. 388-399). 



On the diffusion of water in humus soils, E. Bl.\nck [Laiidw. Vers. Stat., 58 

 (1903), Xo. 1-.', pp. 145-100). — A series of experiments is reported which showsthat 

 the jiresence of acid hunnis compounds in a soil hinders the diffusion of water, a 

 condition which may be corrected by adding a neutralizing agent such as lime. 



The soils of Dominica, F. Watts {Barhados: Imp. Dept. Agr. West Indies, 1903, 

 pp. 32, ficjs 25). — Physical and chenucal analyses of 23 samples of soil from different 

 parts of the island are reported, with a discussion of the results and description of 

 the method employed. In general the soils were found to contain only very moder- 

 ate amounts of carbonates. They were generally deficient in i)hosphoric acid, but 

 contained considerable amounts of assimilable ])otash. 



The method followed in ]ireparing the acid extract of the fine earth for cheniical' 

 analysis was as follows: "Twenty grams of 'fine earth' are placed in a round-bot- 

 tomed 250 cc. fla.sk with 200 cc. of hydrochloric acid of specific gravity 1.115. A 

 stopper (usually cork) is loosely inserted. The flask is placed in the water bath in 

 the afternoon, the bath brought to boiling point, the lamp removed and the flask 

 allowed to remain in the bath all night. Next morning the bath is brought to boil- 

 ing by about 10 a. m., and maintained in that condition throughout the day. At 4 

 p. m. the lamp is removed and the flask allowed to remain in the bath all night. 

 During the jirocess of heating the flasks are repeatedly shaken. The followilig 

 morning the contents of the flasks are removed, filtered, and the residue well washed; 

 the filtrate, including the washings, is evaporated to dryness after the addition of a 

 few drops of nitric acid. The residue is taken up with a little water containing a 

 few drops of hydrochloric acid and again evaporated to dryness. After drying, it is 

 again taken up with a little water and acid as before and filtered, washing well with 

 warm water. After cooling the solution is made up to 500 cc." 



Ordinary methods were employed in the determination of most of the constituents. 

 In case of carbonates, however, a special process is described which it is claimed "is 

 both simple and accurate, and allows relatively large quantities of soils to be taken 

 for the determination when necessary," a consideration which is of special impor- 

 tance in case of volcanic soils, such as those of the West Indies. The method consists 

 essentially of adding strong hydrochloric acid U) a quantity of soil capable of yield- 

 ing 50 to 100 cc. of lime (about 25 gm. in case of the soils examined), collecting the 

 gas evolved over mercury by means of a simple Sprengel pumj), and titrating with 

 excess of barium hydrate and fifth-normal hydrochloric acid. The details of the 

 method and of the apparatus needed are described. 



Nitrogen was determined by the Kjeldahl method. No attempt was made to 

 determine humus directly. Organic carbon was determined by the method of Cross 

 and Bevan« and humus calculated by multiplying carbon by 1.724. Assimilalde 

 phosphoric acid and potash were determined by Dyer's method. Osborne's method 

 of mechanical analysis was employed. 



a Jour. Chem. Soc. (Trans.), 53 (1888), p. 890. 



