THE MINERAL SPRINGS OF SARATOGA 35 



Besides the compounds quoted in the three series of analyses, one 

 may find in the occasional commercial analysis the following addi- 

 tional ones : calcium sulphate, potassium nitrate, potassium silicate, 

 sodium silicate, boracic acid and ortho-silicic acid. The only addi- 

 tional element is rubidium which, as the chlorid, is cited as a trace 

 in an analysis of the Sans Souci spring of Ballston in " Our County 

 and its People," page 408, no chemist being mentioned. 



As stated in the general remarks on chemical analyses, there is 

 much room for assumption in recasting analyses to compounds. It 

 will be of interest therefore to summarize briefly the relative abun- 

 dance of the elements or acid radicles. The values will be taken 

 only from the Chandler series of analyses and those of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. In all cases the chlorine is the most abundant 

 elementary substance, except in the extraordinary instance of the 

 Geyser ana-lysis in the latter series, whose sodium bicarbonate pro- 

 portion is so high as to give it no scientific value. The sodium fol- 

 lows after the chlorine, and as a rule the calcium and magnesium 

 come next, the calcium usually in excess. Potassium is next and is 

 succeeded by bromine, barium and lithium. The other elements are 

 very small. Ammonium although not an element, behaves like one, 

 and in the Department of Agriculture series on the whole ranks 

 barium. Silica, also not elementary, precedes barium. Iron and 

 aluminum together come approximately between silica above and 

 barium below. If we calculate the carbonic acid of the bicarbonates 

 as HCO3 it may, in waters with high lime and magnesia, exceed the 

 chlorin and be the highest value of all. If we consider also the gas 

 that escapes, it is the most abundant dissolved substance as the 

 water exists two or three hundred feet beneath the surface. 



Since it is difficult to follow variations of so many substances, a 

 series of curves has been plotted and is shown in figures 5-8 

 inclusive. Analyses are sometimes prepared of the evaporated 

 residues. They are then expressed in percentages of the total 

 residue. They are very significant in being simpler than parts per 

 million in the water itself. They also enable one to judge critically 

 the amount of the commoner ingredients. As the concluding table 

 of analyses at the close of this bulletin (p. 75, 76) a compilation of 

 those which have appeared up to date is given. It was chiefly made 

 by Mr J. C. Minor, jr. To ]Mr Minor's records one or two recent 

 analvses have been added. 

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