D. A. Wells on the Soils of the Scioto Valley. 11 
Arr. IIl.—Notes and Observations on the Analyses and Charac- 
ters of the Soil of the Scioto Valley, Ohio, with some general 
considerations respecting the subject of Soil Analyses; by 
Davip A. Weis, Cambridge, Mass. 
In the spring of 1851, I was intrusted by the Secretary of the 
Ohio State Board of Agriculture, Prof. W. W. Mather, with the 
office of examining, analyzing and reporting upon the nature and 
composition of the soils of that State, and under his direction 
have since made a series of analyses of soils taken from Pike 
county, Scioto Valley. A few of these analyses are here submit- 
ted for the purpose of showing the composition of these fertile 
soils, as well as to some extent, the method followed in their 
examination. 
The soil which I would first notice, was taken from the best 
bottom-land, opposite the mouth of Sun-fish Creek, about one 
hundred yards east of the Scioto. This ground is occasionally 
overflowed, and has been cleared and cultivated about eighteen 
years successively in corn, and yields with ordinary culture from 
seventy to eighty bushels of corn to the acre. The average 
crop has not sensibly diminished since it was first cleared. The 
timber growth originally upon this ground, was honey-locust, 
black-walnut, pawpaw, box-elder, white-ash, elm, mulberry an 
buckeye. 
The color of this soil when dry, was dark brown, or black, of 
an extraordinary degree of fineness. Sample examined, entirely 
free from stones or pebbles. The character of this soil for the 
absorption and retention of moisture was carefully noted, but as 
the results obtained seem to me to have mainly a comparative 
value, they are here omitted. 
The chemical analysis gave as follows. 
Water, hygrometric and combined, _. oe . 03°636 
Waxy and resinous matters extracted by alcohol, 0030 
= oo “ - 0 ‘ ether, ‘0025 
Total extract, . : é i . 0055 | 
Total per-centage, . : ‘ ‘ .  00°0164 
Constituents soluble in pure water. ag 
Extract of earth, alkaline chlorids, with traces of lime, 0460 
rganic matter—crenic acid, _. as 0208 
Silica, iron, lime, with traces of sulphuric acid, ‘0652 
Total water extract : : : . +1320 
Toll pebeinikanie 7 ee 00:395 
