398 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



The same determinations calculated to one hectare of land. 



Barral then shows how much nitrogen falls as nitric acid and how 

 much as ammonia. Of the 31 kilogs. of nitrogen, 9 belong to the 

 ammonia and 22 to the nitric acid. For the separation of the nitric 

 acid from the ammonia, the author has made use of a method in- 

 vented by Peligot. 



Bineau has lately determined the quantity of ammonia contained 

 in the rain collected at Lyons, but not the quantity of nitric acid. — 

 Comptes Rendiis, vol. xxxiv. p. 824. 



Meyrac has instituted similar investigations, and found that all 

 rain contains chlorides ; the largest quantity of chloride of sodium 

 found amounted to 2 centigrms. in the litre. This quantity is fre- 

 quently contained in the water in autumn and winter, and in the 

 first days of spring. It has always an alkaline reaction, and con- 

 tains traces of iodine. The araraoniacal salt, which is contained in 

 rain and snow-water, and which, according to M. Chatin, consists 

 of carbonate, nitrate, and humate of ammonia, if first acidified with 

 sulphuric acid and then brought in contact with carbonate of soda, 

 evolves an empyreumatic odour. As this odour is produced by none 

 of the above ammoniacal salts, it probably proceeds from other 

 organic substances. — Ibid. vol. xxxiv. p. 715. 



ON THE SALTS OF ANTIMONIC ACID. BY L. HEFFTER. 

 The results of this careful and accurate investigation are in part 

 very remarkable and unexpected. The author has found that the 

 proportion of oxygen in the base to that of the acid is only then as 

 1 to 5, when the antimoniates of the alkalies are heated to redness 

 in an atmosphere of carbonic acid gas or of carbonate of ammonia, 

 and treated with water, which extracts a little carbonate of the 

 alkali. Even the crystalline antimoniate of soda, which has been 

 obtained by the precipitation of a solution of antimoniate of potash 

 by a soda salt, contains an excess of soda united with water, so that 

 in this salt the oxygen of the soda to that of the acid is in the propor- 

 tion of 1 to 4-6. By heating to redness it does not entirely lose its 

 water, because the excess of soda retains the water, which it ex- 

 changes for carbonic acid when this is presented to it at a red heat. 

 Something similar tal^es place with antimoniate of potash and with 

 all other antimoniates which have been investigated ; M. HefFter 



