Economical Geology of Massachusetts. 



373 



potash in the plant, why may not phosphate of lime, applied by -pollen, act in the 

 same way ? At any rate, the existence of phosphate of lime in our forest soils is 

 proved not only by its existence in the pollen, but by its actual detection in the 

 ashes of pines and other trees. — 100 parts of the ashes of wood of pimis abies give 3 

 per cent. phos. iron ; 100 parts of the ashes of the coal ofjnnus sylvestris give 1.72 

 phos. lime, 0.25 phos. iron ; 100 parts of ashes of oak coal, give 7.1 phos. lime, 3.7 

 phos. iron ; 100 parts of ashes of bass wood 5.4 phos. lime, 3.2 phos. iron ; 100 parts 

 of ashes of birch wood 7.3 phos. lime, 1.25 phos. iron ; 100 parts of ashes of oak 

 wood 1.8 phos. lime ; 100 parts of ashes of alder coal 3.45 phos. lime, 9. phos. iron. 



" These are the calculated results from Berthier's very accurate analyses, and 

 those very curious crystals — detected in some plants — the 'raphides' of DeCandolle, 

 are some of them bibasic phosphates of lime and magnesia. Phosphate of iron, we 

 know, is common in turf; bog ore, and some barren and acid soils owe their acidity 

 to free phosphoric acid. If we allow that our untouched forest soil contains phos- 

 phate of lime, it may be said, that this, being in small quantity, will be soon ex- 

 hausted by cultivation, and that the phosphates, which we now find in cultivated 

 fields, rescued from the forest, is due to our manure ; — I give you the general result 

 of my analysis of coic dung, as the best argument in reply. My situation and du- 

 ties have led me to this analysis. I give you it, in such terms as the farmer may 

 comprehend : water, 83.60 ; hay, 14. ; biliary matter, (bile resin, bile-fat and green 

 resin of hay,) 1.275; geine combined with potash, (vegetable extract.) 0.95; albu- 

 men, 0.175." 



" The hay is little more altered than by chewing. The albumen has disap- 

 peared, but its green resin, wax, sulphate and phosphate of lime remain, and when 

 we take 100 parts of dung, among its earthy salts we get about 0.23 parts phosphate, 

 0.12 carbonate, and 0.12 sulphate of lime. Now, a bushel of green dung as evacua- 

 ted weighs about 87.5 lbs. Of this only 2.40 per cent, are soluble. Of this portion 

 only 0.95 can be considered as soluble geine." — pp. 43-47. 



For the sake of comparison, Prof. H. has subjected a few spe- 

 cimens of soil taken from fertile western lands to the same kind 

 of analysis. 



The above soils are evidently of the very first quality : the geine being in large 

 proportion, and the salts quite abundant enough, while there is still a small supply 

 of carbonate of lime to convert more insoluble into soluble geine, whenever occa- 

 sion demands. Still, if we compare the preceding analyses with some of those that 

 have been given of the Massachusetts soils, the superiority of the western soils will 

 not appear as great as is generally supposed. And there is one consideration re- 

 sulting from the facts that have been stated respecting geine, that ought to be well 



