88 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. X. 



review differences which, without uniformity of method, of state- 

 ment, and of valuation^ V!OM\d. have no scientific interest what- 

 ever. Although the methods of research are numerous and 

 critical, the Analysts of the Continent will, I feel sure, welcome 

 anything like agreement on so vexed a question as water analysis, 

 and will welcome these tabulated results, even if subsequent ex- 

 perience should lead to slight modifications of either the methods 

 or the valuations. 



Having lately had occasion to analyse for the Department of 

 Public Works several samples of Ottawa water, T have carefully 

 followed these methods and valuations, and I find much satisfac- 

 tion in being thus enabled to classify them with British results 

 so recently published, and from my own experience recommend 

 to brother analysts in Canada and the United States the adoption 

 of this general method, so that future tabulations of compara- 

 tive values may include the whole of the waters of. this Continent. 



The followinii' statement of results in the case of the Ottawa 

 water supply will indicate the general method of analysis and 

 mode of statement. For details tlie reader is referred to the 

 elaborate " Code of Instructions " published in the June, July, 

 and August numbers of " The Analyst," and also subsequently 

 published in pamphlet form by the Society of Public Analysts. 



Eesult of analysis of Ottawa water supply, taken Sept. 7th, 1881, 

 by Messrs. Keefer, Lesage and Arnoldi. 



1. Color iu 2 feet column light yellow. 



2. Odor at 100 F.o slightly peaty. 



* 3 Chlorine as Chlorides -4 



4. Phosphoric acid none. 



5. Nitrates and nitrites none. 



6. Ammonia free -0050 



7. Albumenoid Ammonia -0010 



8. Oxygen absorbed at 80 F. in 15 minutes. -0040 



9. Hardness by Clarke's test 3-5° 



t 10. Solids in solution 4.8 



J 11. Solids in suspension 4-2 



§ 12. Microcosms chiefly vegetable. 



The fir>t mode of calculating the valuation of results is by 

 fixing values to each of these impurities. Pure distilled water 



* Quantities expressed in grains for Imperial gallon of 70,000 grs. 



t Containing Alkaline Silicates. 



X Chiefly Siliceous fragments. 



§ Chiefly Diatoms anci Sponge spicules and Algse. 



