N07. 2, 190S.] 
Supplmmf ic the " Tropienl AgrimUu/rist." 
four exhibits of preserved eggs (delivered four 
months previously), two v^ere in water-glass, and 
neither got a prize. The first prize went to 
lime-water, and the second to eggs which were 
rubbed with vaseline, eiich egg wriipped in a 
cloth and packed in bnin. If ihe contention 
in favour of water-glass be correct, there was 
some mischance befel those sent to Birmingham 
Show. 
To cure scaly legs, on the first indication of 
roughness anoint the legs with sweet oil and 
kerosiue, half and half, 

TO ROUGHLY ASCERTAIN THE 
COMPOSITION OF SOILS. 
We have several times lately been asked to 
give some method of finding approximately the 
constituents of a soil when no chemist is available. 
This we have not been able to do, because 
scientific men, who understand the difficulties 
connected with making an accurate soil analysis, 
do not consider that there is any rough and ready 
method which would be at all available. 
Semler, in his work on " Tropische Agrikultur," 
Vol. I., 1897, writes on this method of soil 
analysis : — Whoever wishes to take up a piece 
of virgin land should be capable of making a 
ioil examination by separating the fine and slimy 
parts from the coarser particles by means of 
washing with water. Such examination would 
not by any means render a chemical analysis 
superfluous. Still, by this washing process, the 
presence of some of the most important soil 
constituents and an approximate idea of their 
quantitative proportions may be ascertained, and 
thus some fairly reliable conclusion as to the 
fertility of the soil becomes possible. The 
materials required are: A few wine glasses, a 
small pestle and mortar, a piece of litmus paper, 
a small scale, a small bottle of muriatic ocid, 
another of ammonia, another of oxalic acid mixed 
with water, a fourth of phosphate of ammonia 
and of soda, and some filter paper, all of which 
may be bought at any cliemisi's shop. 
Suppose it be desired to try if a soil contains sand 
and clay. Take 50 grammes of the soil (15'43 gr. 
Troy = l gramme) or 32-14 dwt. Grind it well 
in the mortar, having wetted it first, until it 
is reduced to a soft pasty mass. Now dip a 
piece of litmus paper into it. If this turns red, 
there is a proof that it contains humic acid, 
and hence that drainage is required or that lime 
should be applied. Now pour the thick liquid 
into a tall funnel, reduce it largely with water 
and carefully wash out the mortar, emptying 
what remiiins iu it into the funnel. If it be 
then allowed to stand for a little time, the 
various constituents will sink to the bottom of 
the glass according to their .specific gravity and 
their degree of divi'^ion into particles. The coarse 
sand sinks first, then the fine sand, followed 
by the clay, and if humus be present this will 
form the upper layer. From the depth of the 
layers a fairly safe conclusion may be arrived 
ftt ai regards the proporsional quantity of each 
constituent contained in the soil. To continue 
the examination, stir up the sediment, and in 
a few minutes pour the cloudy liquor into another 
glass, being careful not to allow the sand, which 
will have meanwhile najnin sunk to the bottom, 
to flow off. The residue must be mixed with 
water, stirred, and, as in the first instance, be 
poured out. Continue this process until, 
apparently, nothing is left in the first glass 
but sand. To prevent any moisture running 
down the edge of the glass, smear a little grease 
on the outside or hold a bit of wood against 
the spot where it runs off. Now dry the sand 
on filter paper and then weigh it. What it falls 
short of 50 grammes will be put to the account 
of fine soil (clay and humus). 
The examination for the lime and magnesia 
contents proceeds as follows: — Weigh oflj 20 
grammes of the dry soil, pour it into a small 
bottle, and add six times as much water; then 
add graduallay from five to ten grammes of 
muriatic acid, and put away for several hours 
in a warm place. If, when the muriatic acid is 
added, a distinct buzzing sound is heard, this is 
a proof that the soil is rich in lime. When the 
contents of the bottle have become perfectly 
settled, pour them on to filter paper, and add the 
washings of the bottle as well. The yellow 
liquid filtered through, which must, of course, be 
caught in a glass, must be mixed with ammonia 
until it distinctly smells of it. If brown flakes 
separate thtmselves in it, these will beoxyhydrate 
of iron and hydrate of alumina Cwith phosphoric 
acid). The liquid must again be filtered, and, in 
its liquid state, must be mixed with a solution of 
oxalic acid and water, so long as any cloudiness 
arising from oxalate of lime appears. Note must 
be taken, if during this process the smell of 
ammonia disappears ; should this happen, the 
smell must be restored by the addition of more 
ammonia. The lime coiitents may be ascertained 
by the quantity of precipitation : but if a more 
accurate calculation of the quantity is required, 
the liquid must be poured on to a dry piece of 
filterpaper, which has to be accurately weighed ; 
the precipitated matter on the paper must then be 
washed and dried near the fire. Then both paper 
and precipitate are weighed, and the gain in 
weight is taken as the oxalate of lime. By 
heating it is changed into carbonate of lime, but 
this process is not needed, since we know that 
100 parts of lime are equal to parts of car- 
bonate of lime. 
The magnesia is not taken into consideration 
in the preceding process. Its contents can be 
ascertained from the liquid filtered from the 
oxalate of lime, to which a little ammonia is 
added. Then a little phosphate of ammonia is 
dissolved in it, and it is stirred with a glass rod. 
After a short interval, if there is a large per- 
centage of magnesia, a crystalline sediment 
results, which consists of ammoniac phoi=phated 
magnesia. If the precentage of magnesia is 
small, there will be little precit ifate, and that 
only after standing for a long time. 
It is important to examine into the moisture- 
holding power of the soil. For this purpose, 
weigh 100 gramm«s of dry earth, pound it lae in 
