Economical Geology of Massachusetts. 375) 
A new method for learning the absorbing qualities of soils has 
lately been practiced by M. Berruier,* which appears to us as 
particularly deserving of notice. It consists in filling a small filter 
with the dry soil, and then thoroughly moistening it until water 
drops from it; when the water has ceased dropping, the filter 
with its contents is transferred to one cup of a balance and a 
moistened filter of the same size to the other, when the gain in 
weight is noted. The following are some results obtained in this 
way by Berruier: 
A vegetable soil from Ormeson, near Nemours, of a pale ochre 
yellow color, taken from a vineyard and considered of excellent 
quality, absorbed 0.36 its weight of water. 
Quartzy sand of Nemours, such as is employed in the glass fac- 
tory of Bagneaux, absorbed 0.227. 
Quartzy sand of Aumont pulverized in a mortar, absorbed 0. 30. 
The kaolin of Limoges, absorbed 0.46. 
The chalk of Meudon, when purified and in the condition of 
Spanish white, gained by the process 0.35 its weight. 
The report contains likewise several interesting experiments 
directed to the converse of this problem, viz. to ascertain the ca- 
pacity of soils to retain water, which is by no means proportional 
to their powers of absorption: for these results we must refer the 
teader to the report. 
Prof. Hitchcock comes at the following very just conclusions. 
in respect to the soils of Massachusetts, viz. that the grand desid- 
erata in them are carbonate of lime and an additional supply 
of geine, or organic matter. He then proceeds to point out nu- 
merous sources of these materials in different sections of the state, 
many of which have been brought to light in the progress of the 
survey. 
An extensive bed of marl is pointed out as existing in the 
horthwest part of Stockbridge, in Berkshire county, on land of 
Mr. Buck, a second in the same town, four miles from the court 
house in Lenox, a third in the northeast part of Lee, (the thick- 
hess of which in some places is ten feet,) also several beds in 
West Stockbridge. Numerous other beds have also been noticed 
in the neighboring towns. The purest of these marls when dry, 
are white and much lighter than the common soil, and they ea- 
* Ann. des Mines, t. xiv, 1838. 
