148 
Liquid Manure. 
absorbed from liquid manure, and retained in a soil which is 
peculiarly deficient in lime. Experience has shown, moreover, 
that sandy soil is more benefited by lime and calcareous mixtures 
than by any other description of manure. 
6. On comparing the amount of potash contained in the liquid 
after filtration through this sandy soil, with the quantity of pot- 
ash found in the liquid manure after contact with the two preceding 
soils, a marked difference will be observed. Indeed, the propor- 
tion of potash taken up by the sandy soil is quite inconsiderable. 
We have in this result an indication that soils which do not 
manifest a high power of absorbing ammonia, likewise have not 
much effect upon soluble compounds of potash. 
7. Still smaller is the power of this soil to absorb soda-salts 
and sulphuric acid. As regards the compounds of soda, more 
especially chloride of sodium, the results obtained here agree 
with the rest. In all the experiments which I have hitherto 
made, either with highly complex fertilizing mixtures, or with 
simple salts of soda, I find that soda generally passes through the 
soil unabsorbed. 
8. Again, it may be noticed, that we have here an instance of 
phosphoric acid becoming absorbed from its soluble combina- 
tions by a purely sandy soil, in which lime is almost altogether 
absent. At the same time it will be seen that phosphoric acid is 
not so completely removed by such a soil, as by stiffer and more 
calcareous soils. 
On the whole, these experiments afford a ready explanation of 
the fact that the effects of manure on proverbially hungry soils 
are very transient. 
They suggest, likewise, that the observed failure of super- 
phosphate as a turnip-manure on such land may be due in some 
measure to the facility with which soluble phosphates are washed 
out of the soil. 
The fourth experiment with the same liquid manure was tried 
on a soil of moderately retentive and naturally very fertile pro- 
perties. 
Tlie mechanical analysis of this soil and its subsoil gave : — 
Surface-suil. Subsoil. 
Sand 76'16 55"15 
Clay 18-09 41-79 
Lime, magnesia, &c 1-37 '47 
Organic matter 4-38 2-59 
100-00 100-00 
Submitted to dctiiled chemical analysis, the soil and subsoil 
were found to contain in 100 parts : — 
