THE 
Vol,  XII.]  COLOMBO,  FEBRUARY  ist,  1893.  [No.  8. 
CEYLON  MANUAL  OF  CHEMI- 
CAL ANALYSES: 
A HANDBOOK  OK  ANALYSES  CONNECTED  WITH  THE 
INDUSTRIES  AND  PUBLIC  HEALTH  OF  CEYLON  FOR 
PLANTERS,  COMMERCIAL  MEN,  AGRICULTURAL 
STUDENTS,  AND  MEMBERS  OF  LOCAL  BOARDS. 
By  M.  COCHRAN,  m.a.,  f.c.s. 
(Continued  from  page  444- J 
Coffee  and  Tea  Soils. 
GIVE  four  pretty  complete 
analyses  of  soils  from  con- 
tiguous estates  in  the  Dolos- 
hage  district,  of  Ceylon. 
These  formerly  produced 
good  crops  of  coffee,  and  now 
yield  satisfactory  returns  as 
tea  soils. 
These  soils  were  subjected,  to  a physical  as 
well  as  to  a chemical  examination.  The  specific 
gravities  varied  from  2 "25  to  2 64.  The  specific 
gravity  was  highest  when  the  proportion  of 
gravel  was  greatest. 
The  apparent  specific  gravity  or  relative  weight 
of  the  soil,  i e. , the  ratio  .which  the  weight  of  a 
given  volume  of  the  soil,  including  the  inter- 
stitial air,  bears  to  the  same  volume  of  water, 
was  not  determined.  Such  a determination,  how- 
ever, is  of  use  for  calculating  the  weight 
of  a soil  per  acre  for  any  specified  depth. 
The  soil,  as  a whole,  is  seldom  submitted  to 
chemical  analyses,  only  the  finer  portion  of  it 
being  analysed,  and  the  amount  of  available 
plant  food  is  usually  calculated  on  a basis  of 
] ,()<;<)  tons  per  acre  to  a depth  of  nine  inches. 
Thus,  ] percent  in  an  analysis  is  equivalent  to  10 
tons  iici  acre,  and  1 per  cent  to  1 ton  per  acre. 
Analyses  of  Dolosbagc  Sods. 
Physical 
Examination. 
No.  1. 
No.  2. 
No.  3. 
No.  4. 
Specific  gravity 
2 64 
2-43 
2-25 
2-37 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
Moisture  in  air- 
dried  soil 
l’ower  of  dry  soil 
6T0 
5-16 
10-00 
6-67 
to  absorb  atmos- 
pheric moisture  in 
24  hours 
3-52 
2 03 
3-52 
2-9 
Water  required  for 
saturation  of  air- 
dried  soil 
30'14 
33-52 
37  -SO 
35-6 
Moisture  given  oft 
from  saturated 
soil  in  24  hours 
28-2R 
29-70 
36-00 
28-0 
Percentage  of  stones 
4-4 
8-10 
N one 
1-8 
Mechanical 
Analyses  of  soil 
without  stones. 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
( Coarse  gravel 
( ( Irganic  matters 
1 Fine  gravel 
\ Organic  matters 
f Coarse  sand 
\ Organic,  matters 
f Fine  sand 
\ Organic  matters 
f Finest  particles 
( Organic  matters 
/'Total  mineral 
| matter  in  above 
I Total  organic 
1.  matter  in  above 
28-68 
1-81 
17-07 
2-11 
26-84 
4-39 
■53 
•11 
14-56 
3-90 
87-68 
12-32 
6 72 
•38 
9 81 
•84 
49  13 
5-97 
3-72 
•92 
19-21 
3-30 
88-59 
11-41 
None 
None 
6-47 
•37 
56  01 
5-73 
10- 47 
•26 
15-59 
5-10 
88-54 
11- 46 
106 
•09 
9-97 
TO 
62-40 
7 53 
3-34 
■89 
11-83 
2-48 
88-60 
11-40 
Chemical  Analyses. 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
per  ct. 
pe 
Water  lost  at  212°F' 
6-416 
5-210 
10  000 
6'584 
* Organic  matter  and 
13-208 
11-561 
11-460 
11-508 
combined  water 
sol  ublein  standard 
hydrochloric  acid 
Silica 
•085 
•405 
•095 
•525 
Protoxide  of  iron 
1 -703 
•797 
1-500 
1-106 
Peroxide  of  iron  and 
trace's  of  manganese 
9-917 
5614 
10-000 
6-285 
Alumina 
12-569 
8-289 
9-448 
9-226 
Lime 
■076 
•310 
•151 
•015 
Magnesia 
■185 
. -455 
•171 
•260 
Potash 
■136 
•194 
•442 
•096 
Soda 
■067 
•094 
•143 
Trace 
Phosphoric  acid 
•128 
■166 
•077 
•195 
Sulphuric  acid 
•126 
•055 
•031 
034 
Chlorine 
•016 
•057 
•no 
•006 
Insoluble  silicates 
55-368 
66-793 
56-372 
64-160 
100-000 
100-000 
100-000 
100000 
* Containing  Nitrog 
en  -167 
T41 
140 
•192 
The  moisture  in  the  air-dried  samples  of  the 
different  soils  varied  considerably.  It  was  highest 
in  No.  3,  in  which  the  soil  was  in  the  finest 
state  of  division,  and  which  had  the  lowest 
specific  gravity.  It  was  next  highest  in  No.  4, 
which  was  also  second  lowest  in  specific  gravity, 
and  in  the  second  finest  state  of  division.  No. 
1,  although  of  higher  specific  gravity,  and  in 
a coarser  state  of  division,  had  mine  moisture 
than  No.  2;  but  No.  1 was  richest  of  all  in 
alumina  (the  base  of  clay)  and  its  insoluble 
silicates  were  lowest. 
The  water  required  to  completely  saturate  the 
air-dried  soil,  varied  inversely  as  tliQ  specific 
gravities. 
