132 On the Composition of Waters of Land-Drainage. 



The several reports here collected will probably be fountP 

 useful in bringing some new varieties of wheat into notice, and 

 in calling attention to unsuspected features in the character of 

 old sorts. " Nursery " wheat will not be so much trusted on wet, 

 clay soils for even early spring soAving as it has been hitherto. 

 Rivett's, on the other hand, will probably be more trusted than 

 it has been. And the very strong testimony to Mr. Scholey's 

 " Square-head" will probably secure for it extended use next year;.. 



III. — On the Composition of Waters of Land-Drainage. B_y 

 Dr. Augustus Voelcker, F.R.S., F.C.S., Consulting Chemist 

 to the Royal Agricultural Society. 



aWE. examinations of drainage-waters, made by Professor Wa;y 

 and other chemists, have brought to light results which have arr 

 important bearing on the question of the exhaustion of cultivated 

 soils, or the loss of nitrogen experienced froin the growth of cereal 

 crops, and on other agricultural problems. The composition 

 and physical properties of the land from which drainage-water is 

 derived have, as might be expected, a direct influence upon the 

 composition of the water which percolates through it ; hence 

 the analyses of drainage-waters are also of interest in connection 

 with the influence of the sources of water-supply upon the 

 quality and fitness of the water for drinking and general domestic 

 purposes. It is generally believed that drainage-waters from 

 highly manured fields, or from land in a high agricultural con- 

 dition, are very much contaminated with organic and saline 

 impurities, and that they are either decidedly unwholesome 

 or of a quality which renders their use for drinking purposes 

 undesirable. We shall see how far this opinion is borne out 

 by the results of my recent inquiry into the composition of 

 drainage-waters. During the last ten or twelve years many sam- 

 ples of well-waters and waters of land-drainage have been sent to 

 me with a view of ascertaining whether in the particular instances 

 they were fit for domestic use. There are good and bad well- 

 Avaters ; and in not a fcAV instances, I have found waters of land- 

 drainage purer and of a better quality than the samples of well- 

 waters which have been sent to me for comparative examination. 

 The results of water analyses have in many instances proved 

 useful to householders anxious to ascertain whether the water 

 in daily use for drinking and domestic purposes was wholesome, 

 and whether it was good or bad for washing or cooking purposes. 

 Such water-analyses, however, are not of much general interest, 

 and not calculated to afford data for discussing and solving im- 

 portant practical questions Avhich present themselves to intelligent 



