CONSTITUENTS OF SOILS. 



79 



the surface, with this difference only, that it 

 contains more potash, soda, and chlorine,* 

 and is interspersed with fragments of fresh- 

 water shells. Hence it is that the soil pro- 

 duces the deep-rooted plants in such luxu- 

 riance. 



24. Soil of a sterile moor, which had 

 been burned three times, and upon which 

 buckwheat had been cultivated. 100 parts 

 contained : 



Humus, soluble in alkalies - 9'250 



Vegetable remains, charcoal, quarzy 

 sand, and earthy particles 90*750 



100-000 



100 parts by weight left, after ignition, 10 

 parts of ashes. 100 parts of these ashes 

 consisted of: 



Silica and siliceous sand 



Alumina - . 



Peroxide of iron 



Peroxide of manganese . 



Carbonate of lime ''. *' . * 



Carbonate of magnesia 



Potash - - . -. : 



Soda - - ' ., 



Phosphoric acid 



Sulphate of lime (gypsunO 



Chlorine 



79-600 

 6-288 



0-857 

 0-400 



7-652 

 1-640 

 0-080 

 0-028 



0215 

 3-235 



0-005 



100-000 



Soils such as this, after having been 

 burned several times, and made to produce 

 buckwheat, are completely deprived of 

 their potash and soda; and in consequence 

 of this are rendered quite barren. Hence it 

 is that ashes of wood exert such an astonish- 

 ing effect upon them. 



25. Analysis of a very fertile loamy sand, 

 from Osnabriick, near Rotherfeld. It is re- 

 markable for being manured only once every 

 10 or 12 years, and bears beautiful wheat as 

 the last crop. 100 parts contain: 



Silica, with coarse siliceous sand 

 Alumina .... 

 Peroxide and protoxide of iron, with a 



little phosphoric acid ... 

 Peroxide of manganese 

 Carbonic acid, and a little phosphate of 



lime - .... 



Carbonate of magnesia 

 Potash and soda 

 Phosphoric acid * . ' 



Sulphuric acid ... 

 Chlorine 



Humus, soluble in alkaline carbonates - 

 Humus .... 

 Nitrogenous matter ... 



86-200 

 2000 



2-900 



o-ioo 



4-160 

 0-520 

 0-035 

 0-020 

 0-021 

 O'OIO 

 0-544 

 3-370 

 0-120 



lOO'OOO 



The soil in question lies on the southern 

 exposure of a hill, which consists of layers 

 of limestone and marl. The rain-water 

 penetrates through these layers, and becomes 

 saturated with the soluble salts contained in 

 them, such as potash, gypsum, common 



* The portion of the suface-soil subjected to 

 analysis was taken from the field after long-con- 

 tinued rain. Hence the small quantity of salts of 

 Votaah and soda. 



salt, lime, magnesia, and saltpetre. It after- 

 wards reaches the soil, and manures it with 

 these ingredients. It is only in this manner 

 that we are enabled to explain the fertility 

 of this soil; for, reasoning from its chemical 

 composition, we would be induced, a /mori, 

 to suppose that it would be barren. At the 

 base of this hill, certain portions of the land 

 are covered with calcareous tuff, containing 

 the above salts: a fact which proves that 

 the water which penetrates through the soil 

 must also contain them in solution. The 

 large proportion of humus exhibited by the 

 analysis depends upon the nature of the 

 manure to which it was treated. 



26. Analysis of a heavy alluvial soil, 

 from Norden. 100 parts contain : 



Silica, and very fine siliceous sand . 

 Alumina - '*' 

 Peroxide of iron ... 



Peroxide of manganese 

 Lime ..... 

 Magnesia - - - *\ 



Potash - - - \ 



Soda, in combination with silica 

 Phosphoric acid, in combination with 

 lime - . . * - 



Sulphuric acid - - '<'. - 



Chlorine - 



Hurnus, soluble in alkalies - 

 Humus and nitrogenous matter 



84-543 

 3-458 

 3-488 

 0-560 

 0-319 

 0*740 



a trace 

 6-004 



0-260 

 0-008 

 0-008 

 0-416 

 0-196 



100-000 



The portion of the soil subjected to analy- 

 sis was taken at a depth of 10 inches, from 

 a field which had received no manure for 

 several years. It had previously produced 

 in succession barley, beans, wheat, and 

 grass, the latter for two years. The soil is 

 remarkable, in a chemical point of view, 

 from the laige quantity of soda which it 

 contains. Although the sulphuric acid, 

 chlorine, and potash are present in small 

 quantity, yet this does not present any bar- 

 rier to the developement of the plants, as the 

 surface-soil is 18 inches in depth. 



27. Analysis of a heavy alluvial soil in 

 the vicinity of Norden. 100 parts contain : 



Silica, and very fine siliceous sand 

 Alumina - - - - 

 Peroxide of iron < . 



Peroxide of manganese 

 Carbonate of lime 



Carbonate of magnesia - 

 Potash, in combination with silica 

 Soda, idem - .. 



Phosphoric acid .. 



Sulphuric acid .. 



Chlorine - - - 



Humus, soluble in alkalies - 

 Humus with nitrogenous matter 



79 '174 

 3'016 

 4-960 

 0'600 

 2'171 

 2-226 

 0'025 

 6 '349 

 0'534 



a trace 

 0005 

 0'782 

 0'158 



100-000 



The specimen for analysis was taken at a 

 depth of 10 inches from the surface of a 

 field, which had been manured five years 

 previously, and had produced since that time 

 rape, rye, wheat, and beans. The crops of 

 all these were plentiful, and of excellent 

 quality. It is singular that this soil, which 

 i contains such a small proportion of gypsum, 



