OCCURRENCE OF MANGANESE IN SOIL AND ITS EFFECT ON GRASS. 355 



which the grass died down and was absent in the other. 

 The following is the result of the analyses of these soils : — 

 Examination of soil from a dead patch on Dubbo Bowling 

 Green, forwarded together with portion of the healthy soil by 

 E. R. Hawke, Secretary. 



Soil from 

 normal portion 



Soil from part 



where grass 



dies off. 



Reaction 



Capillary power ... ... < 



Moisture 



Volatile and organic matter ... 



Nitrogen 



Total water-soluble salts 



Lime (CaO) soluble in hot HC1 



„ „ in 1% citric acid... 

 Potash (K a O) soluble in hot HC1 .. 



,, „ in 1% citric acid... 



Phosphoric acid (P 2 5 ) sol. in hot HC1 



„ „ in 1% citric acid... 



Oxide of Manganese (Mn 2 3 ) total... 



,, „ ,, soluble in hot HC1. 



„ ,, „ soluble in 1% citric 



neutral 

 9*3 ins.; 

 excellent 

 176% 

 5-79 „ 

 •063 „ 

 •039 „ 

 •324 „ 

 •249 „ 

 •038 „ 



•oio „ 



•122 „ 

 •030 „ 

 •000 „ 

 •000 „ 

 •000 „ 



% 



neutral 



6*6 ins.; 



good 



2-09 



5-10 



•105 



•045 



•329 



•220 



•037 



•011 



•105 



•017 



•254 



•022 



The total manganese was determined by fusion of 2 grms. 

 of the soil with sodium carbonate, the portion soluble in 

 hydrochloric acid was determined in 10 grms of the soil 

 boiled for 20 minutes with hydrochloric acid of 1*1 sp. gr. In 

 the determination of the citric acid soluble manganese, 100 

 grms. of the soil were shaken with 1 litre of one per cent, 

 citric acid for 20 hours in a mechanical shaker at 50 

 revolutions per minute. 



The only difference shown by the analysis of these two 

 soils is the presence of manganese in the patches on which 

 it is reported that the grass dies down in the winter. It is 

 possible that manganese is present as traces in the other 

 soils, but not in sufficient quantities to give an indication 

 by the methods adopted. 



W— Nov. 3, 1909. 



