HIGHLAND DISTRICT. 241 ! 



The following is the result of an analysis of the subsoil to the preceding, taken twelve 

 inches below the surface : 



Water of absorption 1 '76 ^ 



Organic matter 4*12 



Silex 80'79 



Peroxide of iron and ahimina 12'00 



Carbonate of lime 0-85 



Magnesia O-GO 



100-13 



It will be observed that the principal difference between the soil and subsoil consists in 

 a greater amount of organic matter in the former, and more silex and less lime in the latter. 

 This result, as it regards lime, has often happened ; and in many instances where a deep 

 subsoil was analyzed, and where it was expected that a greater amount of lime would be 

 obtained, the reverse has been the fact. It appears that in the process of a natural vege- 

 tation, the lime and other alkalies are retained at the surface ; but when the crops are 

 removed, or the soil plouglied and frerpiently stirred, tiie alkalies are both removed and 

 filtered deeper in the soil. 



Another soil in the same neighborhood, taken twenty inches below the surface, gave 



Water of absorption 1'13 



Organic matter 3-00 



Silex 81-67 



Peroxide of iron and alumina , 12-21 



Carbonate of lime 0-83 



Carbonate of magnesia 1 -16 



100-00 



A granitic soil, near Peekskill, gave of matter soluble in water, in 200 grains, 1'26; of 

 which 0-71 was organic matter : the solution contained chlorides and sulphates in addi- 

 tion to the organic salts. Another gave 0-87 soluble matter, of which 0-46 was organic. 



Since the above analyses were made, the precipitate by caustic ammonia has been 

 examined carefully for phosphates ; and in eacli of the Peekskill soils, and several whose 

 origin was derived from primary rocks, they have been found. The mode of proceeding 

 for the phosphates was as follows : The precipitate, consisting of alumina, peroxide of iron, 

 etc., was redissolved in chlorohydric acid, and filtered to free it from any silex which it 

 might contain. This solution was neutralized by ammonia. Acetate of potash was then 

 added, which gave a yellowish precipitate, consisting of the phosphate of the peroxide 

 of iron, which becomes darker by exposure to light. The quantity was sufficient to have 

 been weighed ; but as the object was merely to ascertain the fact of the existence of this 

 substance in the soil, tlie quantity was only estimated. 



[Agricultural Keport.J 31 ^ 



