802 Specimens of the Soil and Salt from [Dec. 



300 grains exposed to a gentle heat in order to drive off the moisture lost 

 107 = 35, 6 per cent. 



100 grains of the dry mud was now put into solution, and the insoluble matter 

 collected on the filter, washed, dried, and weighed, gave 70 grains. 



The filtered solution treated with nitrate of barytes threw down a precipitate 

 of sulphate of barytes, together with the colouring matter, which after washing, 

 drying, and weighing, gave 17 grains = 10.4 sulphate of soda. 



The solution now freed from the sulphate was next treated with nitrate of 

 silver, from which a precipitate of muriate of silver was obtained, weighing 42 

 grains = 19.5 muriate of soda. 



Insoluble matter, 70 



Sulphate of soda, 10 4 



Muriate of soda, 19 5 



Loss, 1 



100 



Examination of the insoluble matter from A No. 1 , after the separation, 

 as above, of the sulphates and muriates. 



Fifty grains of the insoluble earthy matter now freed from the extraneous 

 salts was treated with muriatic acid. A strong effervescence took place, and 

 the digestion was continued for 12 hours, as there was reason to suppose that 

 carbonate of lime was present. It was now repeatedly washed with pure water, 

 and the remaining earthy matter, which the acid had not dissolved, separated 

 and collected on the filter, well dried and weighed : it amounted to 37 grains. 



The muriatic solution was now treated with oxalate of ammonia, which threw 

 down a copious precipitate of oxalate of lime. This being well washed, and 

 dried, weighed 11 grains = 8.6 carbonate of lime. 



The remaining solution contained a considerable portion of loose muriatic 

 acid, which being neutralized with pure liquid ammonia, a portion of alumina 

 (tinged with yellow oxide of iron) was precipitated. This being separated by 

 the filter, washed, dried, and weighed, gave 4 grains. 



Calculating then for per centage, the composition of this earthy matter will 

 stand as follows : 



Matter insoluble in muriatic acid (silica,) 74 



Carbonate of lime, 17 2 



Alumina and oxide of iron, 8 



Loss, 8 



100 



A No. 10. — This I found to be chiefly composed of sulphate of soda, with 

 the carbonate and muriate of soda in considerable proportion. 



A No. 15. — This gave a trace of sulphate ; otherwise good salt; though the 

 crystals are small. 



A No. 22. — When tasted gave traces of sulphate. 



A No. 24. — Crystals of a pink colour, which disappear in the filtered solution ; 

 the colouring matter appears to be volatile — sulphate of soda predominates in 

 this sample ; no carbonate of soda present. 



