334 F"\'3; ANALYSIS OF SOILS 



Analysis of soil from Gknsfalls, Warren county. 

 This soil is sandy, and consists of an extension of the lands passing through AIl)any, 

 Schenectady and Saratoga counties. 



First process. Secoud process. 



Organic matter 6*60 0-60 



Silica and silicates 86'94 69'44 



Peroxide of iron and alumina (free) 4 '25 0*00 



do (combined) 0-00 15-00 



Carbonate of lime 1-50 0-00 ' . 



Lime combined 0-00 2*50 



Magnesia (free) -. trace. 0-00 



do (combined) 0*00 trace. 



99-35 86-94 



Phosphates - 0-31 



Soluble silica. a large trace. 



This soil is still more remarkable for the great amount of combined alumina, iron and 

 lime ; and its analysis explains in part the fact why this sandy range of country is pro- 

 ductive and durable, yielding at least moderate or respectable crops of maize for many 

 years in succession. It contains more mineral food for plants than an inspection of the 

 soil would lead us to suspect. 



./Inalysis of peat from Hoosic falls. 



From a farm owned and cultivated by Mr. E. Ball. 



Organic matter 56-00 



Silica 26-00 



Alumina and iron 8-00 



Carbonate of lime 9-00 



Magnesia 1-00 



100-00 

 Amount soluble in water. 



Carbonate (crenate) 1-82 



Magnesia 0-34 



2-16 

 The above specimen of peat is probably one of the most valuable manures which the 

 farmers of the neighborhood can employ, containing a large tpiantity of the silicates ( not 

 sand ) , in a state ready to be used by plants. 



It seems, from the several analyses which we have made of the peats from different parts 

 of the country, that a great difference of composition exists ; some consisting of organic 

 matter, with a very small amount of inorganic ; while others, as in the instance above, 

 contain a large amount of inorganic matter, a considerable proportion of which is in 

 combination with organic acids. The latter kind is Iiy far the most valuable : hence it is 



