[ 304 j 



ous sand, and 24 parts finely divided matter, consist- 

 ing of 7 parts carbonate of lime, 12 parts alumina 

 and silica, less than one part saline matter, principally 

 common salt, with a trace of gypsum and sulphate of 

 magnesia: the remaining 16 parts were vegetable 

 matter. 



The solutions of the saline substances were used 

 twice a week, in the quantity of two ounces, on spots 

 of grass and corn, sufficiently remote from each other 

 to prevent any interference of results. The substan- 

 ces tried were super-carbonate ', sulphate, acetate, ni- 

 trate, and muriate of potassa ; sulphate of soda, sul- 

 phate , nitrate, muriate, and carbonate of ammonia. I 

 found that in all cases when the quantity of the salt 

 equalled ^ part of the weight of the water, the effects 

 were injurious ; but least so in the instances of the 

 carbonate, sulphate, and muriate of ammonia. When 

 the quantities of the salts were -TOT part of the solution 

 the effects were different. The plants watered with 

 the solutions of the sulphates grew just in the same 

 manner as similar plants watered with rain water. 

 Those acted on by the solution of nitre, acetate, and 

 super-carbonate of potassa, and muriate of ammonia 

 grew rather better. Those treated with the solution 

 of carbonate of ammonia grew most luxuriantly of all. 

 This last result is what might be expected, for car- 

 bonate of ammonia consists of carbon, hydrogene, 

 azote, and oxygene. There was, however, another 

 result which I had not anticipated ; the plants water- 

 ed with solution of nitrate of ammonia did not grow 

 better than those watered with rain water. The solu- 



