586 
g ■* ?5 t~ (J) p 1^ 
, n «s lb ^ <6i 
■J 
V 
H -J. 
« '-0 CI CC 01 
IS) ta 
2iJ 
: TO 2 
OS S'E.-r- 
•3 ''^ Is 5' 
C = C. ^■ 
•f-^ a; I . ^ 
ce ce 
J3 = 
.2|te§o 
-= 2 -2 .2 
4) 4) 0) * 
to ; 
O 
* 03 - 
~ c ^ ce 
M"^ tea; 
.2 0.5 o 
^ ce ^ s 
C P G C 
o o a" 
Calcium Carbonate 
Magnesium Carbonate 
Carbonate of Iron 
Phosphate of I.iiiie 
Alkalies 
Or§,anic 
per I per 
cent. I cent. 
9379 
2-51 
•68 
•15 
■20 
i 97-' 
II . 
matter and moisture 
•47 
J 
2-20 
1-00 
lOO^OO 
100-00 
Both of these are richer in calcium carbonate 
than tlut coral sold in Coloni)x>, wiiicb haa the 
following conipoiMtioD : — 
INDIRECT MANURES. 
Besides manures which directly supply the 
three chief elements of plant food, — nitrogen, 
potash and phosphoric acid,— other fertilizers are 
used on account of their properties of liberating 
the plant food in the soil, or of destroying excess 
of vegetable matter, correcting acidity of the 
soil, fixing ammonia and getting rid of various 
pests. Such substances are lime in various forms 
other than phosphate, common salt and sul- 
phate of iron. It is also claimed for the last 
that it acts as a direct manure in increasing the 
production of chlorophyll. 
In Ceylon, mountain limestone occurs of very 
pure quality ; dolomite also is found. 
The following shews the composition of the 
purer forms of Ceylon crystalline limestone : — 
Analyses of Ceylon Limestone. 
Aiiali/iiis of Ground Coral. 
(HUGHISS. ) 
per cent 
Moisture 
•3-2 
Organic matter 
... 1-94 
( 'arb«>nate of Umc 
... '.vlVt 
< 'arbonate of Magnesia ... 
(Jxide of Iron and Alumina 
•76 
Uuartz and insoluble Silicalt^s 
i-'-Ol 
Sulphate of l.inip 
■tts 
Alkalies, Chlorine, &c. ... 
... l-Tf 
The following shews the composition •>! Ceylon 
niagnesian lime stone or dolomite : — 
Analyseg oj Dolmnit^. 
j>er 
per 
cent. 
cent. 
Calcium Carbonate 
80-16 
74-5'.' 
Magnesium Car)>onate ... 
:!«i-00 
19-3;i 
Oxide of iron and Alumina 
a-66 
■X, 
Alkalies and traces «>f Phosphoric 
acid 
18 
Insoluble SilieeouH matter 
19-Mi 
5-3.') 
Moisture 
•12 
•25 
100-00 
1!0-<H) 
Coral and limestone are generally burned in a 
kiln to render the lime caustic Ivefoie it i.^ 
applied to the land. This burning, esjieeially as 
pertcrined on estates, frequently leaves a con- 
siderable proportion of the alkaline earths in 
the mild form of carbonate. The following 
shews the composition of a sample of estate made 
lime .submitted to the author for analysis :— 
per cent. 
Moisture... .. 606 
Lime ... .. 37 57 = Calcium car- 
bonate C7 (19 
Magnesia.. ... 21 ^22 = ^laguessium 
carbonate 46-CS 
Oxide of iron and 
Alumina... 1 1-70 
Alkalies ... ... -90 
♦Carbonic acid ... 24-31 
Insoluble matter 7*74 
113 77 
* Eqnal to lime 
I Lime 
Or to 
100 00 
30' 94= (Calcium carbon- 
ate 55-25) 
19-76=Calciuni carbon- 
J ate 35-29 
j Magnesia 7-99= Magnesium car- 
(' 'irii/i -I "I • 'bonate ■vJ.-16-77 
5206 
In this sample of caustic lime and magnesia 
which has evidently been prepared by calcining 
dolomite, not more than about 54 of the original 
1 13 parts of carbonates has been changed to the 
j caustic state. 
I For the purpose of destroying plants characteris- 
j tic of peaty land, lime from the purifier of gas 
I works is sometimes applied to land. This substance 
i is said to destroy the coarser grasses, and to bring 
