ANALYSIS OF SOILS. XXXIX 
The general aspect of these soils is uniformly sandy; the size and shape of the grains being analogous 
to those of the high sand banks, every where common on the Atlantic coast. When cleared, by washing, or 
by heat, of the small portion of impalpably fine mineral and organic matter with which the grains of sand are 
enveloped, they are then observed to be so fine as to be agitated by a very slight current of air. 
In color the soils vary from a light yellowish white, to an ash-gray. The order in which they pass through 
these shades, beginning with the lightest, is as follows. F,G, C, H, E, D. 
The capacity of different soils for water being a point of acknowledged importance in determining their 
adaptation to particular crops, I commenced my inquiries with a view to ascertain the relation of these soils 
to moisture. 
Specimens, selected for the purpose, were first exposed to a dry atmosphere for many days, and then dried 
in equal weights, at temperatures below the point at which the organic matter could be decomposed or dis- 
sipated. 
100 parts of F lost 1.66 100 parts of G lost 2.83 
“ “ H “ 236 “ “ D “* 2.83 
“ “ © « gsr “ « 1h Uae SREY S) 
“ “ BE « 2.66 “ “ K “ 1400 
In connection with the present inquiry, I endeavored to learn the proportion of organic matter existing in 
the soils. In settling this point, it may be remarked that an uncommon preponderance of animal, over vegeta- 
ble, organie matter was noticed, the odor of amonia being particularly abundant, during the decomposition by 
heat ; and in no soil was it so striking asin H. The smell of sulphur was also emitted, in common with that 
of amonia, by specimens I and K. The results under this head, were as follows. 
100 parts of F lost 1.75 100 parts of D lost 3.38 
“ “ EK “ 1 90 “ “ 6; “ 2.66 
“ “ H “ 241 “ “ it a - 8.33 
“ “ G “ 216 “ “ K “ 9.66 
The difficulty of settling the proportions of water and organic matter in soils is so great, that absolute pre- 
cision is not claimed for the foregoing results; nevertheless the care with which these ingredients of the soils 
were deduced, leads me to hope that the approximation arrived at is as close as ean well be obtained, 
By adding together the water of absorption and the organic matter, as above detailed, we have the loss in weight 
experienced by each soil on being heated from a state of atmospheric dryness to full ignition. Thus, the loss 
in 100 parts of F equals 3.41. 
The loss in 100 parts of E equals 4.56 The loss in 100 parts of D equals 6.16 
“ “ “ H “ 4.77 “ “ “ I “ 19.69 
“ “ “ G “ 4.99 “ “ “ K “ 23.66 
“ “ “ re “ 5.03 
With a view to obtain some correction for inaccuracies in the determination of the water of absorption and 
the organic matter as above given, a specimen of pure silicious sand of the same fineness as the soils under 
examination, was heated from atmospheric dryness to ignition. Its loss in weight was 2.08 per cent. If we 
take this as a constant quantity, and allow it to represent the water of absorption in each soil, and deduct it 
from the entire loss by heat of each soil, we shall be furnished in the remainders with another view of the 
organic contents of the soils, which may possibly be more accurate than the one already given; although it can- 
not be absolutely correct, for the reason that the more the organic matter of a soil, the greater will be its pow- 
ers of retaining humidity. Now deducting from the loss by igniting 100 parts of F,2.08,and we haye 1.33. 
Deducting from loss by igniting 100 parts of E, we have 2.48 
“ “ “ H, “ 2.69 
‘ G « 291 
“ “ “ C, « 2.95 
D GOA0s 
