130 Appendix 



well, and pour off all the suspended matter without allowing it more 

 than 5 seconds to settle. Repeat the process. Collect and dry the 

 poured oflF material as before. What is the material this time, sand 

 or clay ? 



15. Wash the remaining portion of the soil in Question 14 clean 

 from all matter which does not settle promptly. Are there any 

 pebbles left ? If so, how large are they, and of what kind of stone ? 



16. Take a fresh sample of the soil. Mix it with distiUed water 

 in a flask. Boil the mixture. Allow it to settle. Filter. Divide 

 the filtrate into two portions. Evaporate both, the larger portion in 

 an evaporating basin over wire gauze, the smaller portion in a 

 watch glass heated by steam. Is any residue left after heating to 

 dryness ? 



17. Take a fresh sample of soil Spread it on a clean sand bath 

 and heat strongly with a Bunsen flame. Does any portion of the 

 soil bum ? Is there any change in its appearance after heating ? 



18. To a fresh sample of soil add some hydrochloric acid. Is 

 there any effervescence ? If so, what conclusions do you draw ? 



19. Make a solution of soil in distilled water, and filter as 

 before. Is this solution acid, alkaline or neutral? Are you quite 

 certain of your result? Did you test the distilled water with 

 litmus paper? And are you sure that your litmus does not 

 contain excess of free acid or free alkali ? 



Peat. 



20. Examine different varieties of peat collected (see Question 2) 

 and describe the appearance of each. 



21. Burn a fragment of each kind of peat on wire gauze. 

 What do you notice ? 



22. Boil some peat with distilled water and filter the solution. 

 What colour is it? Can you tell whether it is acid, neutral or 

 alkaline ? Evaporate some of the solution to dryness. 



Out-of-doors. 



23. Describe the appearance of the soil in the flower beds 

 (a) during hard frost, (Jb) in the thaw which follows a hard frost, 

 (c) after an April shower, {d) in drought at the end of summer, 

 {e) in damp October weather when the leaves are beginning to falL 



24. Is the soil equally friable at different times of the year ? 



