40 Pehr Olsson-Sefter. 
sand, during dry periods or a few days after rain, was moist three to 
four inches below the surface in spring, six to seven inches deep in 
summer and two to three inches in fall. “ Ein solcher Sand,” he 
says, “den ich in regenloser Zeit im Monat Juli in einem der 
odesten Flugsandreviere aus der Tiefe von 1 Schuh schopfte, und 
den ich zur Vermeidung der Verdunstung rasch in ein luftdicht 
verschliessbares Gefass fullte, zeigte bei nachtraglicher Erwarmung 
auf 100 n C einen Gewichtsverlust, aus welchem ich einen Wasser- 
gehalt von 4-065% berechnete.” 
Kerner’s experiments to ascertain the hygroscopicity of sand 
gave the following results : during twenty-four hours a sand of 1/20 
line grain-size absorbed from the atmosphere, saturated with 
moisture, 1*78%, another sample of 1/15 line grain-size, 0-78%, and a 
still coarser sand, 1/10 line, only 0-42%. The evaporation of moisture 
he found to be greater the coarser the sand. During twenty-four 
hours the first sample lost 76-1%, the second 85-4%, and the third 
96-4% of moisture. 
Although determinations of capillary attraction in sand have 
frequently been made, the writer, wishing to obtain comparative 
data for the different degrees of coarseness of sand which have been 
considered throughout this study, conducted some experiments for 
this purpose in Maryborough, Queensland, in 1901. Eight glass 
tubes, filled with sand, 82 cm. long, 2-5 cm. internal diameter, were 
used, the lower end covered with fine brass netting, and sunk to 3 
cm. in slowly running water of constant height. The following 
table gives the results obtained :—- 
No. of Sample. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
Diameter of grains 
003 
0-05 
01 
0-2 
0-3 
0-5 
1-2 
2-4 
in mm. 
0-05 
01 
0-2 
0-3 
0-5 
1 
J3 * 
5 
min. 
21 
20 
18 
17 
16 
12 
10 
8 
*_£ H 
10 
M 
36 
32 
29 
24 
21 
20 
19 
16 
£ '-£> <u 
30 
73 
63 
57 
54 
48 
33 
22 
17 
O G .5 
1 
hour 
87 
84 
83 
80 
62 
42 
25 
18 
> o 
12 
141 
112 
96 
87 
78 
52 
31 
21 
£ ‘So S' 
1 
day 
174 
137 
113 
99 
84 
60 
32 
22 
0) 
_i_j (-i 
2 
n 
195 
144 
129 
112 
89 
63 
35 
23 
p ~ ° 
3 
»> 
212 
160 
141 
123 
93 
66 
37 
24 
.5 c w 
CJ C 
4 
> j 
236 
181 
156 
138 
96 
69 
39 
25 
rz c/3 
a *r g 
5 
M 
250 
196 
164 
149 
100 
73 
41 
26 
a - p 
6 
yi 
258 
213 
172 
158 
105 
76 
43 
27 
G T3 SjQ 
1 
wee It 
265 
220 
189 
162 
112 
80 
45 
29 
01 ^ ^ 
2 
91 
294 
231 
203 
178 
136 
91 
47 
31 
J3 U S 
3 
91 
321 
257 
215 
190 
154 
100 
49 
33 
,2P H 2 
4 
91 
339 
269 
224 
201 
171 
106 
51 
35 
X $ 
8 
11 
382 
297 
243 
229 
188 
111 
54 
37 
