REPORT OF THE SOCIETY'S CONSULTING CHEMIST. 631 



soil from land in the neighbourhood of Canterbury, on which it was 

 wished to grow apples : — 



4001J uxieu at 2 1 z r.j 





Ororanir m^tfpr and 1 rws rni hpatm^ 



3 '02 



Oxide of iron .... 



30I 



Alumina ..... 



2-96 



Lime ..... 



•80 



Magnesia ..... 



•60 



Potash 



•39 



Soda ..... 



•31 



Phosphoric acid .... 



•IO 



Sulphuric acid .... 



•07 



Insoluble siliceous matter 



. 8874 





IOOOO 



Nitrogen ..... 



•125 



The soil was by no means a rich one. It was poor in vegetable 

 matter and in nitrogen, and the analysis showed a clear deficiency 

 of phosphoric acid. Nor were the amounts of lime or of potash at 

 all large. Further, the soil was hardly heavy enough in character, 

 nor deep enough, to make a good soil for apple-growing. 



(c) Soil for Hydrangeas. —A sample of soil was sent to me for which 

 it was claimed that Hydrangeas grown in it would be produced of a 

 particularly fine colour. The soil was taken from around the roots 

 of imported Hydrangea plants. The analysis of the soil was as 

 follows : — 



(Soil dried at 212 0 F.) 



Per cent. 



Organic matter and loss on heating 



7-71 



Oxide of iron .... 



I-2 4 



Alumina ..... 



1-28 



Lime ...... 



•56 



Sulphuric acid .... 



•06 



Magnesia, alkalies, &c. . 



1-46 



Insoluble siliceous matter 



. 87-09 





IOO'OO 



The soil was practically made up of sand and clay with a large 

 amount of vegetable matter and a little lime. 



I should not have been surprised had I found iron present in 

 some quantity in the ferrous state. This, however, was not the case, 

 and there was nothing that I obtained in the analysis which would 

 account for the particular properties attributed to the soil. 



(d) (1) Soil from Rose Border; (2) Soil from Herbaceous Border. — 

 These two soils were sent to me because of roses, phloxes, paeonies, 

 &c. not doing well. The analyses were as follows : — 



(Soils dried at 212° F.) 

 Organic matter and loss on heating 

 Oxide of iron and alumina 

 Lime .... 

 Maynesia .... 

 Alkalies .... 

 Insoluble siliceous matter 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



7*94 



8-n 



982 



97I 



•38 



•43 



•78 



•83 



•79 



•45 



80-29 



8o- 47 



IOOOO 



100-00 



