108 
CULTURE OF PELARGONIUMS. 
Thus our essayist had reduced his soil to its integral elements, as far as mani- 
pulation could effect his object, but he could not determine what were the quan- 
ties of the alumina, chalk, or carbonate of lime, oxide of iron, and pure silex, 
nor the relative proportions in which these were combined ; he therefore had 
recourse to one chemical agent — the muriatic acid, by which he was enabled to 
dissolve that ingredient which his judgment led him to conclude might exist 
in considerable quantity. 
" Each of the first four portions was put into a separate cup, and muriatic acid 
diluted with water was poured upon it. An effervescence appeared in all of them, 
which continued on the addition of diluted acid, and when the contents of the cups 
were stirred with a piece of tobacco-pipe. They were left till the next day, when 
all effervescence ceased, and the calcareous part seemed entirely dissolved." 
Pure water was added to dilute muriate of lime, the clear fluid was then poured 
off, and the remaining earth was strained through filtering paper, and dried on 
plates before the fire. The results were, that — 
Of 24 grains of coarse sand . 20 remained. Dissolved by the acid 4 
20 „ finer sand . . 17 „ „ „ 3 
180 „ very fine sand . . 162 „ „ „ 18 
240 „ oftheearth on the first plate 1821- „ „ „ 57|. 
464 3811 821 
Thus, 821 grains were dissolved, the greater part of which was most probably carbo- 
nate of lime. But as we have frequently observed that some earths contain more 
oxide of iron than calcareous matter, we are constrained to infer that the analysis 
was defective, in so far that many grains of the 82i, might have been oxide of iron. 
Nevertheless, this essay has thrown much light upon the subject ; the investi- 
gation of soils can now be effected by persons who have no opportunity to appeal 
to chemistry ; and by practice, analyses may be rendered still more simple, yet 
equally satisfactory. It only remains to state that two grains of soluble substances 
were obtained by evaporating the water of the washings, and " thus the loss was 
reduced to eight grains." 
CULTURE OF PELARGONIUMS. 
(^Continued from page 88.) 
Propagation. — Every cottage cultivator, who displays a few Pelargonia in 
his windows, imagines that nothing is more easy than their multiplication, by 
simply inserting cuttings in the soil at almost any period, and affording them some 
degree of transient shade. Notwithstanding this popular impression, as the 
methods of increasing all kinds of exotic plants are always more complicated 
and refined than their ordinary culture, if there be a series of particular processes^ 
