THE ABSORPTIVE PROPERTIES OF SOILS 267 



capacity of any particular soil for gases, water, or salts in 

 solution, under any particular condition, depends on the tex- 

 ture of the soil and on the time during which the action is 

 allowed to continue. The absorptive power of a soil may be 

 determined by percolating a solution of known strength 

 through a column of the soil or by shaking the sample with 

 a definite amount of the solution. The following data from 

 Parker 1 were obtained by shaking a 35-gram portion of soil 

 for two days with a solution carrying the equivalent of about 

 6.5 grams of KC1 : 



Table LVII 



EFFECT OF TEXTURE ON THE ABSORPTION OF POTASSIUM. 



Sullivan, E. C, The Interaction Between Minerals and Water Solu- 

 tions; U. S. Geol. Survey, Bui. 312, 1907. 



Morse, F. W., and Curry, B. E., Beactions Between Manurial Salts and 

 Clay, Mucks and Soils; N. H. Agr. Exp. Sta., 29th Ann. Eep., pp. 271- 

 293, 1908. 



. Demolon, A., and Bronet, G., Sur la Penetration des Engrais Solubles 

 dans les Sols; Ann. Agron., Tome 28, pp. 401-418, 1911. 



Bogue, E. H., Absorption of Potassium and Phosphorus Ions by 

 Typical Soils; Jour. Phys. Chem., Vol. 19, No. 8, pp. 665-695, 1915. 



McCall, A. G., Hildebrandt, F. M., and Johnston, E. S., The Ab- 

 sorption of Potassium by the Soil; Jour. Phys. Chem., Vol. 20, No. 1, 

 pp. 51-63, 1916. 



McBeth, J. G., Fixation of Ammonia in Soils; Jour. Agr. Kes., 

 Vol. IX, No. 5, pp. 141-155, 1917. 



Wyckoff, M. I., Absorption of Ammonium Sulfate by Soils and Quartz 

 Sand; Soil Sci., Vol. Ill, No. 6, pp. 561-564, 1917. 



Kelley, W. P., and Cummins, A. B., Chemical Effect of Salts on 

 Soils; Soil Sci., Vol. XI, No. 2, pp. 139-159, Feb., 1921. 



barker, E. G., Selective Absorption by Soils; Jour. Agr. Kes., Vol. 1, 

 No. 5, pp. 179-188, Dec., 1913. 



