DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA. 15. 
writer found the water to be slightly brackish, though not disagree- 
able, and when used for cleansing purposes it was satisfactory, 
though soap will not produce a lather with it. 
In order to determine to what extent the water varies in the sev- 
eral representative portions of the lake, samples were obtained from 
the stations shown upon the chart accompanying this report. Fol- 
lowing are the results of the analyses, the specimens being designated 
by the laboratory numbers of the Bureau of Chemistry : 
ANALYSES OF WATERS OF DEVILS LAKE, NortH DaxkorTa, 1907. 
[Parts per million.] 
Station | Station 
; pn aoe Station nA hae peetion Station 
wees mou whar 3, Mis- | 5, Large| 1, Six- | 6, East 
Description. Creel Creel |sion Bay.| Lake. |mile Bay.| Lake. 
Bay. Bay. 
(4838) (4840) (4839) (4841) (4837) (4842) 
Garboniciaciddon--= 2 2 107.8 108.1 119.2 125.1 128.7 154.9 
IecarTpOnic acidion._2--- aes = al 495.4 499.9 527.4 538.9 546.5 555.6 
Mulicnmes 2 =< te +e <b a eee ee 20.8 21.0 23.0 26.6 37.8 44,0 
Gihionineerseeren 22a eee a ae 856.8 866.8 876.1 900.3 906.1 1,122.0 
IM cis Mares See Oe eee seer: See eae 7.1 9.9 11.0 14.8 15.3 16.4 
lalalime eae ne eae ees 18.6 22.9 24.9 26.3 31.0 31.2 
Mine nes Tin A ao 2 SE a 493.8 504.3 509.2 530.5 545.5 601.6 
SiHipourieraciad 1Ons-2- a 4,654.0 | 4,774.6 | 4,856.9} 4,977.9 | 5,206.0 6,254.4 
RS ClGh QUITS 2 Pease eee Bk eau = eS She eee 1,987.8 | 2,030.3 | 2,075.0 | 2,108.3} 2,198.8 2,725.3 
PP OU AS SIU seh <a ee e ayn eere e 186.2 187.8 195.7 199.7 204.7 250.0 
HYPOTHETICAL COMBINATION. 
[Parts per million.] 
Station | Station ; 
ae as ee Sinton Stevion Seanon Station 
Bae mout whar 3, Mis- | 5, Large| 1, Six- | 6, East 
Description. Creel Oreel jsion Bay.| Lake. |mile Bay.| Lake. 
Bay. Bay. 
(4838) (4840) (4839) (4841) (4837) (4842) 
Potassium) chlowde.-.2-2-- 5-36 = sn- = 354.8 357.9 372.9 380.5 390.5 476.4 
OCT CHOMGe= oe saa ae Cae va es Led Bia av 4 1,149.7 1,153.3 1sr.8 1,189.5 1,478.4 
Sodium sulphate______ antes] 2h, 749.5 4,863.9 4,997.7 5,058.8 5,319.7 6,607.8 
Magnesium sulphate__ | 1,810.8 | 1,865.4 | 1,855.5 | 1,955.1 2,020.0 2,243.0 
Magnesium carbonate_ 151.6 152.0 167.6 179.9 181.0 217.8 
Magnesium biecarbonate_ 503.0 498.7 513.2 505.9 508.0 511.4 
Calcium bicarbonate___-___- 75.2 92.6 100.7 106.3 125.0 126,1 
Werrous, bicarbonates 2-8 ase 2 22.6 31.5 35.0 47.1 48.7 52.2 
(SLAC ee eee (on eee eee 20.8 26.6 23.0 21.0 37.8 44.0 
Considerable variation may be observed in the chemical character 
of the water in the several portions of the lake. 
For a general understanding of the significance of these analyses 
given above the explanation of the term “alkali” may be useful. 
An “alkali” is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen with any one 
of the metals—lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, or the 
radical ammonium. The alkalis are all soluble in water and are 
capable of neutralizing acids and turning red litmus blue. Aqueous 
solutions of the alkalis of moderate strength act corrosively upon 
animal and vegetable substances. Two main classes may be distin- 
