Suburban Geology of Richmond, Indiana. 311 



line carbonates. Such however was not the case. And believ- 

 ing, that if the plants really contained a sulphate, it must be 

 derived from the earth in all probability, but not necessarily, I 

 have tested various portions of soil from different situations and 

 taken from different depths ; but I have not been able to pro- 

 cure the slightest cloudiness with the usual reagents, nor to dis- 

 cover any trace of sulphuric acid in any way. 



The soil of this district is generally rich, and being based upon 

 a clay stratum, bids fair to be durable. The analysis given in 

 the volume just cited is as follows : 



One hundred grains of soil from woodland 



Soluble geine, - - - 4.50 grs. 



Insoluble " 



7.00 



« 



Carbonate of lime, - - - 1.75 " 



Phosphate " - - .50 " 



Aluminous matter, - 12.50 " 



Siliceous " - 74.00 " 



100.25 



Gain, 



25 



100. 



A specimen of soil taken from a cultivated field yielded a dif- 

 ferent result. After drying it several weeks in my office by the 

 ordinary summer air, I heated 480 grs. of it for an hour, at a 

 temperature of 400° ; the loss was 47 grs. Another 480 grs., 

 after careful trituration, separated as follows : 



Sand and vegetable fragments, - 2 grs. 



Fine sand, 



12 " 



Dust passed through gauze, - - 466 " 



480 " 



Four hundred grains of the thoroughly dried earth, when cal- 

 cined, lost eleven grains. A large proportion of potash was dis- 

 covered by Mitscherlich's method, and the presence and quantity 

 of the other ingredients were ascertained by the usual processes. 

 After moistening some of the earth and reducing it to a thin 



past 



not a single bubble of carbonic 



acid appeared. Several trials resulted in the same way ; the soil 



Crenic and apocrenic acids were 



contains 



made apparent by digestion with carbonate of ammonia, and the 



