G 



Pag* 



The weight of a soil per acre 28 



Questions often answered by the analysis of soils "29 



Objects and interpretation of soil analysis -29 



The method of soil analysis 32 



Collecting the sample 33 



Preparation of the sample 34 



Determination of moisture and of volatile and organic matter 35 



Treatment of the soil with dilute hydrochloric acid 35 



Determination of the insoluble residue 36 



Determination of the hydrated silica 3i> 



Determination of the soluble silica 37 



Determination of the iron and alumina 37 



Determination of the ferric oxide by titratiou with potassium permanganate.. 38 



Preparation of the standard permanganate solution 39 



Determination of the lime 40 



Determination of the magnesia 41 



Separation of the alkalies from the other bases present , . 41 



Determination of the potash 42 



Determination of the soda 43 



Determination of the sulphuric acid 43 



Treatment of the soil with dilute nitric acid 43 



Determination of the phosphoric acid 44 



. Preparation of the reagents used 44 



Determination of chlorine 45 



Preparation of the silver nitrate solution 45 



Determination of the carbonic acid by absorption 45 



Determination of nitrogen by combustion with soda lime 4G 



Determination of nitric acid by Schloesing's method 47 



Remarks 49 



On the geological character and distribution of the soils in the United States.. 51 



History of the soils analyzed in this division 53 



Analyses of the soils 54 



The following works have been consulted in the preparation of this 

 report : 



Economic Geology, by David Page. Edinburgh, 1>74. 



Manual of Geology, by James D. Dana. New York, 1875. 



Iowa Geological Survey. Vol. I, 1858. 



Kentucky Geological Survey. Vol. Ill, 1857. 



Vegetable mold and earth worms, by Charles Darwin. New York, 1882. 



Tenth Census of the United States. Vol. V. Cotton production. Washington, 1884. 



The Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society. 



The American Journal of Science. 



The Soil of the Farm, by John Scott and J. C. Morton. London, 1882. 



The Chemistry of the Farm, by R. Waringtou. London, 1881. 



Traite de Chimie Analytique applique'e a L'Agriculture, par Eug. Peligot. Paris, 

 1883. 



Traite" D'Analyse des Matieres Agricoles, par L. Grandeau. Paris, 1877. 



Quantitative Chemical Analysis, by Dr. C. Remigius Freseoius. Second American 

 edition. New York, 1883. 



Quantitative Chemical Analysis, by F. A. Cairns. New York, 1881. 



Volumetric Analysis, by Francis Sutton. Fifth edition. London. 1882. 



Select Methods in Chemical Analysis, by Wm. Crooks, London. 1871.' 



