338 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to the most conspicuous constituent of sea water ; namely, the 

 chlorine. The following results were obtained : — 



Chlorine Contained in One Hundred Parts of Water. 



I. II. III. TV. 



1.9407 1.702 2.3195 0.1138 



No. I. represents the percentage of chlorine in an average 

 sample of the water of the Atlantic Ocean. (Kerl.) 



No. II. refers to the percentage of chlorine found in a 

 sample of water taken from a hole, three to four feet deep, 

 dug for the purpose, in the middle section of the salt marshes. 



No. III. refers to a sample of water from the lower section 

 of the salt marshes, which had been collected under conditions 

 similar to those of No. II. This sample showed, besides, 

 unmistakable marks of stagnation, by evolving a strong odor 

 of hydride of sulphur, and by a separation of sulphur. 



No. IV. refers to a sample of water collected from a hole, 

 dug for that purpose, in the lower section of the reclaimed 

 salt meadows near Newark, N. J. 



A simple comparison of the preceding analytical results, 

 shows quite plainly that the subsoil of the marshes still con- 

 tains a strong saline solution ; and that a more efficient 

 arrangement for drainage ought to receive, in the interest of 

 a speedy agricultural success of the enterprise, the immediate 

 attention of the parties interested. 



Having ascertained the general character of the subsoil 

 water, my attention was turned towards an examination 

 regarding the physical and chemical condition of the surface 

 portion of the reclaimed salt marshes. I secured for this 

 purpose samples about two feet thick, and four by six inches 

 wide, from the upper, the middle, and the lower marsh 

 meadows. These samples — three in number — were collected 

 during the middle of May. 



The sample from the eastern or upper portion of the 

 marshes consisted in the main of brown root mass, which in 

 its lower part contained only a few thin seams of a grayish 

 blue soil. One hundred parts of the air-dry mass, left, after 

 a careful calcination, from 44 to 45 per cent, of a reddish 

 colored mineral matter of a very fine texture. One thousand 



