On  the  Power  of  Soils  to  absorb  Manure. 
355 
1st  Experiment  . 
2nd  , , . . 
•2439  per  Cent. 
•2433  ,, 
Mean 
•2436 
100  grains  of  the  original  Solution  contained  . 
100  grains  of  the  resulting  Solution  contained  . 
Loss  by  100  grains  . 
•3060  grains  of  Ammonia. 
•2436  ,, 
•0624 
The  loss  by  the  whole  quantity  (4000  grains)  is  consequently  2*496 
grains,  which  has  been  absorbed  by  2000  grains  of  clay,  or  at  the  rate  of 
• 1248  per  cent. 
It  would  seem,  from  this  last  experiment,  that  carbonate  of 
lime  is  capable,  under  certain  circumstances,  of  assisting  the 
absorptive  property  of  clay. 
Obviously,  the  acid-treated  clay  contains  lime,  or  it  could  not 
decompose  the  muriate  of  ammonia  at  all,  and  in  the  analysis 
given  at  page  320  it  will  be  seen  that  a certain  quantity  of  lime 
exists  in  it  in  a state  of  insolubility  in  acids.  If,  however,  car- 
bonate of  lime  is  in  any  case  really  conducive  to  the  absorptive 
action  of  clay,  it  would  seem  more  rational  to  suppose  that  it  acts 
indirectly , that  is  to  say,  that  it  yields  lime  to  the  soil,  and  thus 
fits  the  latter  for  the  decomposition  of  alkaline  salts. 
Experiment  80  (a). — A subsoil  clay  from  Cornwall  (coloured  red  by 
oxide  of  iron),  and  muriate  of  ammonia: — 
Solution  of  the  Muriate  of  Ammonia  . 4000  grains  1 r,.  . , „ „ , , 
Dry  Clay 2000  , , } Digged  for  24  hours. 
1st  Distillation  of  the  resulting  liquid — 
Grains.  Platinum  Salt. 
276-43  gave  9*63 
Ammonia.  Per  Cent. 
•7342  or  -2655 
2nd  Distillation — 
279-50 
gave 
9.71 
•7403 
•2648 
1st  Experiment 
2nd  , , . 
•2655  per  Cent. 
•2648  . . 
Mean 
•2657 
100  grains  of  the  original  Solution  contained  . 
100  grains  of  the  resulting  Solution  contained  . 
Loss  by  100  grains  .... 
•3060  grains  of  Ammonia. 
*2651  ,, 
•0409 
The  whole  quantity  (4000  grains)  will  have  lost  l-  636  grains,  which  has 
been  absorbed  by  2000  grains  of  clay,  or  at  the  rate  of  *0818  per  cent. 
Other  experiments  were  made  with  different  soils  and  solutions 
of  ammonia  and  its  muriate  ; but  as  the  results  afford  no  fresh 
information,  and  can  only  become  of  value  when  an  insight  into 
the  law  upon  which  these  differences  depend  shall  have  been 
obtained,  it  will  be  better  to  proceed  with  the  other  branches  of 
the  subject. 
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