TACONIC DISTRICT. 
249 
We give here the results of an investigation of the amount of soluble matter contained 
in several specimens of the soils of the Taconic district, as determined by exposing two 
hundred grains to the action of eight ounces of rain water for several days, during which 
time the solution was frequently agitated. 
Yellowish loam from Schodack. 
Matter dissolved.....__ 2*00 
Saline matter... 1*44 
Organic acids. 0*50 
The saline matter consisted of the chlorides of lime and magnesia, and the crenate of lime. 
Another specimen from the same neighborhood. 
Soluble matter___________ 1*97 
Saline matter_______ 0*50 
Vegetable or organic matter___ 1 *47 
Contains chloride and sulphate of lime, crenate of lime, and magnesia and ammonia. 
When these vegetable salts are tested with chloride of platinum, a light yellowish preci¬ 
pitate is obtained, which was first supposed to be chloride of potassium, but I now believe 
it is an ammoniacal salt, or a mixture of the two. This result is almost as constant as 
those for lime and chlorine. 
Specimen from a grass land in Chatham. 
Whole soluble matter_ 1*03 
Saline matter_ 0*62 
Vegetable matter_ 0*41 
/ 
Another specimen. 
Soluble matter _______ 0*75 
Saline matter___ 0*43 
Vegetable or organic matter_ 0*26 
A reddish soil, of local formation and quite recent. 
Many additional trials were made for obtaining the soluble matter. It is evident that 
by this method we obtained what is available to plants at the present time. The solutions, 
after standing a proper time, are filtered until perfectly transparent. It is necessary, in 
some cases, to filter three or four times, before the solution can be rendered sufficiently 
pure for determination. It is first evaporated in a porcelain dish to about half an ounce : 
it is then transferred to a balanced platina crucible, in which it is completed, and then 
weighed. It is afterwards exposed to a red heat, when it loses its organic matter, and is 
then weighed again while hot: the loss indicates the vegetable matter consumed. Before 
the last operation, the behavior of the saline mass shows the presence of the crenates by the 
effect of acetate of copper. The presence of the organic salts is interesting and important. 
[Agricultural Report.] 32 
