‘* 
: * a Bibliography. losraphy . 189 
* he thought the information thus obtained would elucidate the general 
_ subject. We cannot here enter into the details of farm reports, how- 
/ ever interesting it may be to know. the history of individual experi- 
of ence in relation to matters so important as the routine and results 
of agricultural practice. Much has been written, especially in this 
country, on the analysis of soils and the possibility of adopting some 
short-hand method, whereby every man may become his own analyst. 
When we consider however the very small difference which exists 
between barren and productive soils in the proportion and number of 
their constituents, we must agree with Dr. Jackson in concluding, 
that “nothing short of a thorough and complete analysis can prove 
serviceable to agriculture.” _p. 189. 
The mode adopted in these analyses in order to ascertain the inor- 
ganic constituents of the soil was substantially as follows; 1. A giv- 
en quantity, say 100 grs., is dried on glazed paper at a temperature a 
little above 212°; the loss of weight it thus sustains is noted as hy- 
grometric moisture. .2. Placed ina platina crucible, first over a lamp, 
and then in a muffle, and gradually beated to full redness, the loss 
sustained is set down as answering to all the organic matter. 3. Place 
this burned soil (2) in a green glass flask and cover it with pure wa- 
ter; drop in muriatic acid, and note if there is any effervescence ; 
if so, there is a carbonate (probably of lime) in the soil. Add more 
acid, and boil ‘until all that is soluble in the acid, is taken up. Di- 
lute, filter, wash, dry, and weigh the remainder—the loss is all 
- that could be taken up by vegetation, and consists of salts of lime, 
iron, alumina, potash, manganese, magnesia, &c. The residuum is 
the insoluble silicates, which weigh. 4. Boil the solution (3) ina 
green glass flask, having previously added nitric acid to peroxidize 
theiron. While warm, precipitate the-iron and alumina by caustic 
ammonia ; simmer the whole for a few minutes to condense the bulky 
Precipitate ; filter and wash for twelve hours with hot water, place 
the precipitate in a silver crucible and boil it with caustic potash till 
all the alumina is taken up; dilute, filter, and wash again. 5. The 
alumina is thrown down by. carbonate of ammonia in water, added to 
the alkaline solution previously acidulated by muriatic acid. Wash 
it for twenty four hours with hot water, burn the filter, and note the 
weight.* "The ammoniacal solution (4) from which the iron and alu- 
mina have been removed, is now treated with oxalate of ammonia, 
Which will precipitate the lime as oxalate of lime. Collect and wash 
this precipitate and expose it to a dull red heat in a platina crucible, 
. letting fall on ita few drops of carbonate of ammonia to convert the 
se ee 
2. sae ia —_ 
a 
“% 
4 
* All the foregoing and, subsequent precipitates are collected on double filters, 
which are bnrnt «tf ~ 7 ie gee | + »0¢ pach other. the difté ce of weight 
being credited to the precipitates. a 
e 
