182 



TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 



but one side of the paper in contact with it, and if a red color 

 comes through to the other side it may be concluded that the 

 soil is acid. In all cases care must be taken not to handle 

 the end of the paper which is used for making the test, since 

 the touch of the fingers may redden it and thus one might 

 be deceived. 



'''In case a soil contains any considerable excess of carbon- 

 ate of lime and magnesia, the humus is mostly combined with 

 lime and magnesia, and in such a case if a teaspoonful of soil 

 is stirred into a glass of water to which a few drops of 

 ammonia water^ have been added, and the whole set aside 

 for some hours, the liquid which remains at the top mil be 

 nearly colorless, but where lime and magnesia are lacking in 

 a soil the liquid has usually a dark brown or black appearance, 

 the intensity of color depending upon the amount of soil 

 taken, and of course upon its need of lime." 



The above instructions were carried out upon a number of 

 fields by each student. In some cases where the ground is 

 rolling and conditions vary, samples were taken, as, for exam- 

 ple, from the high, medium, and low ground. Both tests 

 were made, but upon compiling the notes, it was found that 

 both the litmus and ammonia water tests practically showed 

 the same results. Consequently, but one table is necessar}\ 



Field. 



Elevation of ground. 



Low. Medium. 



McDaniel Decidedly acid 



Creamery Decidedly acid 



North Decidedly acid 



Heater Decidedly acid 



Experiment Slightly acid 



East of athletic ground Decidedly acid 



Thompson Decidedly acid 



Black swamp 



Black swamp ( corn Very slightly acid. 



+ Lime, 1,500 lbs. (potatoes. Very slightly acid. 



High. 



Acid Neutral. 



Acid 



.j Acid. 

 Slightlj^ acid. 



Slightly acid. 

 Slightly acid. 



* This is to he had of any apothecary for a few cents. 



