SECTION III., 1907. [35] Trans. R. S. C 
VIII.—The Fertilizing Value of Snow. 
s 
By Frank T. SHUIT, M.A., F.I.C. 
Chemist, Dominion Experimental Farms. 
Read May 15, 1907. 
In the month of February last analyses were made of certain river 
ices for the purpose of determining their relative purity. The blocks 
of ice examined were from 18 to 22 inches in thickness, the upper or 
first 6 to ? inches forming a well marked layer characterized by a some- 
what porous structure and a certain opacity. Beneath this layer the ice 
was perfectly hyaline. The analysis of this surface layer revealed the 
fact that its Free Ammonia was considerably higher than that of the rest 
of the ice and this fact, though explained in some degree by the well- 
known observation that purification during freezing results, in the case 
of thick ice, in the lower layers being purer than those nearer the surface, 
suggested the presence of snow in the ice and that this snow possessed a 
high ammonia content. That the snow, if present, must be im and not 
on the ice was assured by removing from the surface all loosely attached 
snow before cutting the blocks from the river. 
Our search for analyses of snow in Canada was not successful ; appar- 
ently no such data are on record. The writer thought, therefore, that a 
chemical examination of the snow might furnish results that would 
prove interesting, especially from the agricultural standpoint, since the 
greater part of such nitrogen compounds as the snow contains must 
eventually serve to fertilize the soil. 
The collection of the snow samples examined was made in the 
Arboretum of the Central Experimental Farm, an area of 65 acres 
devoted to the growth of trees and shrubs. The farm, comprising about 
465 acres, is situated on the confines of the city of Ottawa, between the 
Ottawa and Rideau Rivers and about 3 miles south west from the 
General Post Office. The atmosphere of this locality, while naturally 
not free from smoke, may be considered as fairly pure—for Ottawa is 
not a city characterized by “tall chimneys” and besides the few resi- 
dences on the Farm there is only a single line of a little used railroad in 
the immediate vicinity. 
Snow had lain since November and this examination did not com- 
mence till nearly the end of February, consequently data cannot be pre- 
sented in this paper for the snow-fall of the whole season of 1906-07. 
With the exception of the first collection which represents the surface 
11% inches of the accumulated snow, the samples submitted to analysis 
