Circular No. 45. (Revision of No. 29). July, 1914. 



Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station. 



AMHERST 



The Chemical Analysis of Soils* 



By William P. Brooks, Director 



Almost every day the station receives either inquiries regarding 

 the chemical analysis of soils or samples forwarded for such analy- 

 sis. The following letter received a short time ago fairly repre- 

 sents the attitude of most correspondents relative to such work. 



Gentlemen: I wish for information for Mr 



the owner of a large farm in , Mass. 



He wishes to know if he can send you samples of soil for 

 analysis; most likely would send 8 to 10 samples from 

 different parts of his farm. In what form and in what 

 quantity should he send, and what would be the expense 

 for analysis of each package sent? He would also like 

 to know what crops would produce the best results for 

 each sample sent, and the best fertilizer for each sample 

 and the quantity required. 



It will be noted that the gentleman in whose interest this 

 letter was written believed: — 



(1) That chemical analysis will show to what crops a soil is 

 suited. 



(2) That such analysis will determine what fertilizers should 

 be applied and the quantity needed. 



Our correspondence indicates that these views are very generally 

 held, while another widely accepted belief is that the cause of crop 

 disease will be revealed by a chemical analysis of the soil in which 

 the crop is growing. 



Although a chemical analysis of a soil is often of value, it is be- 

 lieved that these views are neither generally accepted by scientifiic 

 men nor supported by the known facts of experience under the 

 conditions usually met with in this state. 



