28 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



the maxima are respectively 3860 and 3297; the minima 1528 and 

 685. In the Department of Agriculture series, 3098 and 1974; the 

 minima 36 and 55. 



In the oldest series of eight different waters the magnesium salt 

 exceeds the calcium salt twice; in the Chandler series of thirteen 

 waters, twice; in the Department of Agriculture series of fifteen 

 waters, also twice, but each time in very small amounts, 104 to 236 

 and 36 to 130. 



Since these heavily carbonated waters are immediately derived 

 from a dolomitic limestone and are yigorous, natural solvents of 

 both calcium and magnesium carbonate, the two salts are doubtless 

 derived in very large part from the limestone. Their solubilities in 

 carbonated waters are respectively at pressures of one atmosphere, 

 385 and 13 10 per million for non-crystalline varieties. 



Of the ratio of the calcium carbonate, CaCOg, to the magnesium 

 carbonate, MgCOg, in the Little Falls dolomites we can not speak 

 with accuracy, because different layers probably differ, but the rock 

 undoubtedly has the calcium salt uniformly in excess of the mag- 

 nesium. In pure dolomite the calcium carbonate bears a ratio to 

 the magnesium carbonate of i to .768. In Doctor Chandler's series 

 the ratios lie between i to .417 and i to 1.13; in the Department 

 of Agriculture's between i to .255 and i to 3.61, but in the last case 

 the quantities are very small, 36 and 130 parts per million re- 

 spectively. 



While in very small amounts and therefore not plotted in the 

 charts the presence of barium and strontium bicarbonates with the 

 closely related calcium salt should be mentioned. Strontium was de- 

 tected by one of the early chemists and is mentioned as a trace; 

 barium, however, escaped notice. In the Chandler series barium bi- 

 carbonate is mentioned in many analyses and varies from upper 

 values of 35.4 parts in the Glacier Spouting well and 34.2 in the 

 Geyser, respectively 2.08 and 2.01 grains per gallon, to a trace in the 

 Seltzer. Strontium bicarbonate is rarer. While invariably reported 

 its maximum was 7.2 parts in the Geyser (.425 grains per gallon) 

 but it was only a trace in ten out of thirteen analyses. Obviously 

 it is present in very small proportions. In the analyses from the 

 Department of Agriculture the maximum barium bicarbonate was 

 found in the Lincoln water, 22.1 parts in a million, but strangely with 

 no strontium whatever. The values of the barium salt are then 

 pretty well distributed in the other analyses dowh to none at all 

 in two of the seventeen. Strontium bicarbonate was never found 

 above a trace in seven analyses, and failed altogether in ten. 



