11735, 736, 737] analyses of gypseous trairie soils. 337 



735. No. 187. Soil of Gypseous Prairie, from Mr. McRae's place, S. 17, T. 

 •6, R. 4 E. 



Depth : Eight inches. 



Vegetation : Stunted Persimmon and Sumach (Rhus copallina), Grasses. 



The air-dried soil, which is of a brownish-buff tint, and rather light, showed 

 the following composition : 



Insoluble Matter (as above) 82.558 



Potash 0.339 



Soda 0.023 



Lime 0.482 



Magnesia 0.513 



Brown Oxide of Manganese 0.092 



Peroxide of Iron 3.084 



Alumina 7.424 



Phosphoric Acid 0.076 



Sulphuric Acid 0.058 



Organic Matter and Water 5.322 



99.911 



736. No. 301. TJnderlcay of Gypskous Prairie, from Hudnall's or Race 

 Prairie, S. 12, T. 6, R. 3 E. 



Depth : From 3 to 7 feet (as far as visible) below the surface. 



Vegetation : Same as the preceeding. 



A greenish gray, heavy clay, with numerous small white specks (ofgypsTim)^ 

 and some round concretions of iron ore. 



Dried at 400 deg. Fahr., it consisted of: 



Insoluble Matter 67.027 



Potash 0.518 



Soda 0.414 



Lime 5.695 



Magnesia 1.233 



Brown Oxide of Manganese 0.509 



Peroxide of Iron 4.344 



Alumina 10.751 



Phosphoric Acid f 



Sulphuric Acid 5.751 



Carbonic Acid 1.018 



wiic Matter and Water 2.740 



100.000 

 737. According to the analysis, the surface soil, No. 187, is simply a poor soil, 

 in which, although containing an adequate supply of Lime and Magnesia, the 

 alkalies (Potash and Soda), as well as Phosphoric Acid, are sensibly deficient. 

 The underclay, No. 301, by itself, is rich in the alkalies, and other ingredient* 

 determined, but contains too much gypsum, and is too heavy, to form a safe soil. 

 It disintegrates or " pulverizes " very readily, however, and washes into deep 

 gullies. It is quite remarkable, that with a subsoil so clayey, and so rich in 

 soluble ingredients, underlying it at so inconsiderable a depth, the surface soil 

 should not only be quite light, but evidently very unretentive (IT 401 ; 403), of 

 the soluble salts contained in its subsoil — which it allows to be deposited partly 

 on its surface, to the injury of the crops (1T731 ; sea also, H"730, If.), partly to 

 return to the clayey and retentive subsoil, which is evidently, also, responsible 

 for the drouthiness of the land (1T514, ff.). 



The means, therefore, which suggest themselves for the improve- 

 ment of the Gypseous Prairies, are these : Firstly, when the heavy 

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