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FARMERS' MISCELLANY. 



ABSORBING AND RETENTIVE POWER OF SOILS. 



The absorbing and retentive power of soils Jhr water, is in pro- 

 portion to the quantity of organic matters which they contain. 



The question respecting the power by which soils absorb and 

 retain water is deemed by most experimental chemists as one 

 quite important. It has engaged the attention of many distin- 

 guished men, as Davy, Chaptal, and Boussingault. We are not 

 aware, however, that any of our agricultural writers and chemists 

 have determined the true grounds upon which the quantity of wa- 

 ter is either absorbed or retained. We engaged not long since in 

 a series of experiments, having for their object the determination of 

 those powers as they exist in the soils of New York. We made for 

 this purpose a selection of soils to test as far as possible the power 

 which the different elements of a soil absorb and retain water. 

 Amonp- these were specimens of sand as fine as it ever exists in the 

 fields; stiff clays, marls, or nearly pure carb. lime. To test still far- 

 ther the influence of vegetable matter on the power of soils to retain 

 and absorb water, the same specimens were dried and exposed 

 over night. They were weighed in the morning, and were found 

 to have absorbed each about seven grains of water. From all the 

 facts it appeared that clay, common soil, marl, etc., when their 

 vegetable matter, with which they are intimately combined, is 

 destroyed by ignition, they possess the same power of absorption, 

 or of absorbing water from the atmosphere, and also of retaining 

 water when thus moistened or wet. The results of these experi- 

 ments were corroborated by specimens of matter taken from a 

 marsh, which when thrown out upon dry land remained a month 

 or more wet and moist though exposed to the summer sun. This 

 substance was like pulp, homogeneous throughout, and when 



