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Economical Geology of Massachusetts. 373 
potash in the plant, why may not phosphate of lime, applied by pollen, act in the 
same way? At any rate, the existence of phosphate of lime in our forest soils is 
proved not only by its existence in the pollen, but by its actual detection in the 
ashes of pines and other trees.—100 parts of the ashes of wood of pinus abies give 3 
per cent. phos. iron; 100 parts of the ashes of the coal of pinus sylvestris give 1.72 
phos. lime, 0.25 phos. iron; 100 parts of ashes of oak coal, give 7.1 phos. lime, 3.7 
phos. iron ; 100 parts of ashes of bass wood 5.4 phos. lime, 3.2 phos. iron; 100 parts 
of ashes of birch wood 7.3 phos. lime, 1.25 phos. iron ; 100 parts of ashes of oak 
wood 1.8 phos. lime ; 100 parts of ashes of alder coal 3.45 phos. lime, 9. phos. iron, 
“These are the calculated results from Berthier’s very accurate analyses, and 
those very curious crystals—detected in some plants—the ‘ raphides’ of DeCandolle, 
are some of them bibasic phosphates of lime and magnesia. Phosphate of iron, we 
now, is common in turf; bog ore, and some b d acid soil their-acidity 
to free phosphoric acid. If we allow that our untouched forest soil contains phos- 
phate of lime, it may be said, that this, being in small quantity, will be soon ex- 
hausted by cultivation, and that the phosphates, which we now find in cultivated 
fields, rescued from the forest, is due to our manure ;—I give you the general result 
of my analysis of cow dung, as the best argument in reply. My situation and du-— 
Hes have led me to this analysis. I give you it, in such terms as the farmer may 
comprehend : water, 83.60; hay, 14. ; biliary matter, (bile resin, bile fat and green 
resin of hay,) 1.275; geine combined with potash, (vegetable extract,) 0.95; albu- 
men, 0.175,’’ 
“The hay is little more altered than by chewing. The albumen has disap- 
peared, but its green resin, wax, sulphate and phosphate of lime remain, and when 
We take 100 parts of dung, among its earthy salts we get about 0.23 parts phosphate, 
0.12 carbonate, and 0,12 sulphate of lime. Now, a bushel of green dung as evacua- 
ted weighs about 87.5 Ibs. Of this only 2.40 per cent. are soluble. Of this portion 
only 0.95 can be considered as soluble geine.’’—pp. 43-47. 
acidity 
For the sake of comparison, Prof. H. has subjected a few spe- 
cimens of soil taken from fertile western lands to the same kind 
of analysis. 
| 2 S leslgclo ls 
gg\esles|38| 28/38/22 
Sa ilcalertenisalse|ss Remarks. 
Bo (So |S" | Sl Bs [e758 
RR = 3 z 2 
ee |" 
ee a 
Rushville, — Llinois, 7.4 | 2.5|3.4 | 0.6/ 1.5 84.6, 6.3 | 
Sangamon co. do 5.6] 1.2| 0.4/1.3 /86.6| 6.3 
lor Apparently never 
“a sha ; S ihivaled: 
Peoria county, do. | 3.1} 4.8] 3.5 | 1.0 87.6 5.7 
Cultivated 14 years 
i ee 
of carbonate of lime to convert more insoluble into soluble geine, whenever occa- 
pare the p ling analyses with some of those that 
have been given of the Massachusetts soils, the superiority of the western soils will 
Not appear as great as is generally supposed. And there is one consideration re- 
sulting from the facts that have been stated respecting geine, that ought to be well 
