620 



Nitric Acid and Ammonia in Rain- Water. 



fluence of the atmosphere as a source of nitrogenous manure to 

 the soil and plants. 



Table II. — Nitric Acid and Ammonia in Eain-Water per acre, 1856. 



Gallons of 

 Raiu. 



Nitric Acid 

 in Grains. 



Ammonia 

 in Grains. 



Total 

 Nitrogen 

 in Grains. 



January 



February 



March 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August 



September 



October 



November 



December 



Total in lbs. the -whole year 



62 



30 

 22 

 59 

 106 

 43 

 33 

 59 

 49 

 65 

 32 

 50 



,952 



,586 

 ,722 

 ,083 

 ,474 

 , 2.'')3 

 ,561 

 ,859 

 .477 

 ,033 

 ,181 

 ,870 



1561 



544 

 806 

 1063 

 3024 

 2046 

 1191 

 2125 

 1756 

 2075 

 1371 

 2035 



5005 

 4175 

 2108 

 8614 

 18313 

 4870 

 2869 

 4214 

 5972 

 3921 

 2591 

 4070 



4526 

 3579 

 1945 



7369 

 15863 

 4540 

 2G70 

 4021 

 5373 

 3767 

 2489 

 3352 



2-80 



9-53 



8-31 



In addition to the samples for each month of the year, Mr. 

 Lawes has kindly supplied me with a few specimens, which 

 might be supposed to give interesting results — they are as 

 follows : — 



June 20. — Heavy thunder-rain after about a week of showery 

 and apparently thundery weather, but without actual sound of 

 thunder. This was the largest fall in any day of the year 

 (0-9676 of an inch). It contained — 



Nitric acid 0-035 grains i^er gallon. 



Ammonia 0"091 ,, 



This is if anything rather below the average quantity of both 

 substances in the rain of the year. 



August 9, A.M. — Thunder-rain after very hot dry weather for 

 8 or 9 days (0-1782 of an inch in the day)— 



Nitric acid 0-089 grains per gallon. 



The quantity of water at my disposal did not allow in this case 

 and others that follow of an estimation of ammonia, 

 Aiigust 9, P.M. — Thunder-rain, moderate fall — 



Nitric acid 0-0355 



August 11. — Heavy thunder, small fall of rain (0-0710 of 

 an inch) — 



Nitric acid .. 0-1243 



These last examples well illustrate the fact that the percentage 

 of nitric acid is in inverse relation to the fall of rain : when the 

 latter is large, we have a small proportion per gallon of nitric 

 acid ; on the other hand, when the rain is small, we find a higher 

 relative^ though not a larger actual, quantity of nitric acid. 



