Bibliography. 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- 

 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 in a platina crucible, first over a lamp, 

 and then in a mufHe, and gradually heated 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) in a 

 green glass flask, having previously added nitric acid to peroxidize 

 the iron. 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 it a few drops of carbonate of ammonia to convert the 



* All the foregoing and subsequent precipitates are collected on double filters, 

 which are burnt afterwards and weighed against each other, the difference of weight 

 being credited to the precipitates. 



