FROM THE TACONIC DISTRICT. 333 



In ihis specimen, the lime was in a soluble stale, or rather it was all in the state of a car- 

 bonate, and not in combination with silica, as in some of the preceding instances. The 

 same remark holds good in respect to the alumina and iron, as only 1*25 grains was 

 obtained by thorough decomposition of the silicates by soda; whereas the first process 

 yielded 10'31 grains. This soil contained soluble silex 0-26 grains, and a trace of the 

 phosphates. The farm has been cultivated probably ever since the settlement of Washing- 

 ton county. The Checkered House, as a place of entertainment, was well known to the 

 oldest inhabitants on the western slope of the Green mountains. 



Soil from Salem, Washington county. 



ANALYSIS. 



First process. Second process. 



Organic matter 10*60 0-00 



Silica and silicates 67-24 66-12 



Peroxide of iron and alumina 20-00 0.75 



Carbonate of lime 1-06 0-00 



Lime in combination with silica 0-00 0-25 



Magnesia 0-63 0-12 



Magnesia in combination with silica 0-00 0-00 



99-53 67-24 



Phosphates 0-05 



This sample of soil is remarkable for the large quantity of peroxide of alumina and iron. 

 It is an excellent soil for maize, and is owned by the Hon. Mr. Blair of Salem. 



A soil from the eastern part of Salem. 



ANALYSIS. 



First process. Second process. 



Organic matter 5-80 0-00 



Silica and silicates 82-10 74-35 



Peroxide of iron and alumina (free) 9-21 0-00 



do (combined) 0-00 6-50 



Carbonate of lime (free) 1-06 0-00 



do (combined) 0-00 1-25 



Carbonate of magnesia (free) 0-81 0-00 



do (combined) 0-00 trace. 



99-58 82-10 



Phosphates a trace. 



Soluble silex 0-50 



The above soil contains a very large quantity of the silicates of alumina and iron. The 

 trace of phosphates was large, but not weighed. The soils of the eastern range of hills 

 in Salem, and onwards north or south, are all good lands, and the elements seem to be 

 combined in their proper proportion for grass and the cereals. 



