16 On the Chemical Properties of Soils. 



was weighed, and the amount of ammonia contained in this 

 liquid ascertained in each case by calculation : 



14,000 grains of the stronger solution, containing "673 grains 

 of ammonia in 1000 of liquid, were now added, and the bottle 

 well agitated several times during the first day, the liquid 

 being afterwards allowed to subside. After three days it became 

 clear. A quantity sufficient for making three or four ammonia 

 determinations was then drawn off in a perfectly clear state. 



The amount of ammonia contained in the remainder of the 

 solutions left in the soils from the first series of experiments 

 being known, and likewise the quantity of ammonia added in the 

 stronger solution, the ammonia in the liquid after contact with 

 the soil determined the proportion absorbed from the stronger 

 ammoniacal liquid. 



The same plan was adopted in all five experiments, and in each 

 experiment the same quantity of ammonia solution was used. 



First Experiment (Calcareous Soil). 



Ammonia. 

 Grains. 



Quantity of ammonia left in bottle '732 



, , , , in 1400 grains of fresh liquid .. 9422 



10-154 

 1000 grains of mixed liquid contained *531 grains of ammonia. 



Ammonia. 

 Grains. 



After contact with soil the solution contained in 1000 grains -431 

 Before contact with soil it contained '531 



100 



Consequently *100 grains were removed from each 1000 grains of 

 liquid, or 1*9120 grains from the entire solution employed in the 

 experiment, and taken up by 3000 grains of soil. 



1000 grains of soil thus absorbed '6373 grains of ammonia, in 

 addition to *882 grains of ammonia absorbed in the 1st Experi- 

 ment with a weaker solution. 



The total quantity of ammonia taken up by 1000 grains of the 

 soil in the two experiments thus amounts to 1*5193 grains. 



Second Experiment (Fertile Loamy Soil). 



Ammonia. 

 Grains. 



Quantity of ammonia left in bottle *437 



,, ,, added in fresh solution .. .. 9*422 



9-859 



1000 grains of mixed solution contained *554 grains of am- 

 monia. 



After contact with the soil the solution contained in 1000 grains 

 410 grains, therefore *144 grains were removed from every 1000 



