312 



Dr. John T. Plummer on the 



use of the cupreous precipitant. And as near as I can arrive at 

 the general result of my experiments, it is as stated below : 



100 grs. contain 11.75 grs. of hygrometric water. 



100 " " 2.75 " of vegetable matter. 

 And in 100 grs. of the calcined earth there are of 



Silica from solution, 

 Alumina, 

 Peroxide of iron. 

 Potash, - 

 Phosphate of lime, 

 Magnesia, 



86.5 

 5.8 

 2.7 

 4.8 

 0.6 

 (slight cloudiness.) 



100.4— gain, .4 = 100 grs. 



The unexpected quantity of potash led me to suppose that 

 ashes had been liberally applied to the field at a recent period, 

 or that a log had been burned, on the spot whence the soil was 

 taken ; but in addition to the fact, that, in common with lime 

 and gypsum, ashes are scarcely ever spread upon our lands, I 

 found that the field in question had long since been cleared, and 

 having been considered disproportionably rich at the side whence 

 the specimen for analysis was obtained, no fertilizing applica- 

 tions had been made to it. 



Peat fields are found on various farms, generally two to four 

 feet deep. All the specimens of the peat which I have tried, 

 yielded red ashes, and this color is said to indicate the best qual- 

 ity of this species of fuel. 



Fie. 14. 



Nodules of sulphuret of iron (iron pyrites) are often met with 

 on the surface. A few of them assume fantastic forms, while 

 others mimic closely the figure of some organic body. I have 

 in my cabinet a specimen found in a bog, that is well calculated 

 to impress any one with the belief that it is the transubstantia- 



