ACaiCULTURAL MUSETTM 065 



vej^etable matter; and to ascertain th^ pronnrtions of 

 til &e with tolerable accuracy, is the most diiHcult part 

 ol' the subject. 



The first process to be performed, in this part of the 

 analysis, is the expo in e oi the fine matier of the soil to 

 the action of the muriatic acid. Tliis si'b?(aree should 

 b* p )ure>l !Jp> ithe ea.'thy ma ter in an evaooraiiig ba- 

 siU) in a quantity equal to tvv'ce the weigvit o the earthy 

 matter; but diluted with double its volume ol" water. 

 The mixture should lie often stirred, and sutVeied to re- 



m;iin for an hour or an hour and a half befjre it is 

 examined. 



If any carbonate of lime or of magnrsia exist in the 

 soil, they will have been dissoKed ni this lime b the 

 av'id, which sometimes takes up likewise a liiile oxide of 

 iron ; but very seldom any aiuniine. 



The fluid should be passed through a filfer ; the 

 solid matter collected, washed with rain vvatiw, dri- 

 ed at a moderate heat, and weighed Jts loss wid de- 

 note the quantity of solid matter taken up. The wash- 

 ings must be added to the solution, which if not 

 sour to the taste, must be made so by the addition of 

 fresh acid, wheji a little solution of common pi'ussiate 

 of potash must be mixed with the whole I'a blue 

 precipitate occurs, it denotes the presence of o.\i(le of 

 iron, and the solution of (he piussiate must be diopped 

 in till no farther eflfect is produced To ascertain its 

 quantity, it must be collected in the same manner as 

 other solid precipitates, and heated red; the rc»ult is 

 oxide of iron. 



Into the fluid freed from oxide of iron, a solution of 

 neutralized carbonate of potash must be poured tili all 

 etfervescence ceases in it, and till its taste and smeil 

 indicate a considerable excess of alkaline salt. 



The precipitate that falls down is caiboruite of lime; 

 it must be collected on the liltcr, and dned at a beat 

 below that of rednese. 



