126 



Power of Soils to ahsorh Manure. 



ascertain the quantity of ammonia and other alkalies which a 

 jjiven quantity of different soils would unite with, and remove 

 from solution ; I should premise, however, that the same soil 

 was found in different experiments to absorb unlike quantities of 

 these salts, the result being principally affected by the strength 

 of the solution employed. 



1000 parts of a soil from the thin land of the Dorsetshire 

 DownSj was found to absorb from solution of caustic ammonia — 



In one experiment , . 3.083 grains of ammonia ; 



In a second experiment , 3.921 „ 



In a third experiment . . 3.504 



In a fourth experiment . 3.438 ,, 



these experiments being made, as just stated, with solutions 

 of differing; strength, to which alone the variations are to be 

 referred, since two experiments made under similar conditions 

 invariably gave corresponding results. 



The same soil, when brought into contact with muriate of 

 ammonia, instead of the caustic alkali, gave the following result : 

 1000 parts of soil absorbed 3.478 of ammonia, the strength of 

 the liquid being the same as in the last experiment with caustic 

 ammonia, with the result of which it closely agrees. 



1000 grains of a light red soil, from Mr. Pusey's estate in Berk- 

 shire, absorbed — 



From caustic ammonia . . 1 . 570 grains of ammonia. 

 From muriate of ammonia . 1.966 „ 



A sample of very tenacious white clay, from the plastic clay 

 formation, gave the following results with solution of muriate of 

 ammonia : 



1000 grains absorbed 2.847 grains of ammonia. 



This clay contained no carbonate of lime, and it was accordingly 

 mixed, in a second experiment, with some pure chalk, and digested 

 with muriate of ammonia, as before, when — - 



1000 grains absorbed 2.820 grains of ammonia, 



or a quantity identical, within the limits of errors of experiments, 

 with the previous instance, proving what was a short time ago 

 stated, that carbonate of lime was not necessary to, and played no 

 part in, the changes in question. 



Two other experiments with this same clay, and different 

 quantities of solution of muriate of ammonia, gave for the absorp- 

 tion, by 1000 grains — 



In the first experiment . . 2.078 grains of ammonia. 

 In the second experiment . 2.010 



It is sufficient to quote these experiments, to show to what 

 extent the power of absorbing ammonia exists in different soils. 

 I now recapitulate two experiments made with a salt of potash. 



