[shutt] 



NITROGEN COMPOUNDS IN RAIN AND SNOW 



183 



land) rainfall during 13 years ending 1900-1, is 3-84 lbs. per acre per 

 annum, and the relative amounts of ammoniacal and nitric nitrogen 

 wiere 70 and 30 per cent, respectively, of the total. 



During the year ending February 29th, 1908, practically twice as 

 much water fell as rain as in the form of snow — 24 05 inches of rain 

 and 13-3 (equivalent to 133 inches of snow) as snow, and we estimate 

 that of the total nitrogen furnished per acre during this period (4-323 

 lbs.), approximately 75 per cent, or 3-243 lbs., was present in the rain 

 and 25 per cent, or 1-080 lbs., in the snow. 



Finally it will be of interest to compare rain and snow from the 

 point of view of their nitrogen content , 



Average Nitrogen Content of Rain and Snow. 



In free and albuminoid ammonia the rain, it will be seen, is much 

 richer than the snow, but as regards nitric nitrogen there is not much 

 difference. The total nitrogen content of the rain is almost twice that 

 of the snow, which, if the atmosphere is fairly constant in respect to 

 nitrogen compounds throughout the year, would go to show that rain 

 possesses a greater solvent power, is a more thorough cleansing agent, 

 than snow. 



Considering the proportion or distribution of the nitrogen com- 

 pounds, the averages of the year show that in both rain and snow the 

 proportion of nitrogen as free ammonia is the largest and that of the 

 albuminodd ammonia (largely derived, no doubt, from dust, etc.), the 

 smallest. 



The richness of any specific fall of rain or snow in nitrogen com- 

 pounds is largely influenced, no doubt, by the period that has elapsed 



