284 
ANALYSES OF SOILS. 
The Marcellus shales, and shales of the Hamilton group, which lie beneath the soil of 
this farm, are composed of the following elements : 
Water of absorption. 2-00 
Silicates.50’00 
Alumina and peroxide of iron .. 10*00 
Carbonate of lime. 36*90 
Magnesia.... 1*00 
99*90 
The shales of this range, which furnish undoubtedly a large proportion of the soil of the 
eastern slope of the lake, are more calcareous than those of the Helderberg range ; and 
hence it is probable that the large percentage of lime which the soils of Aurora yield, is due 
to the composition of this range of rocks. It is apparent, too, from these and other analyses, 
that a calcareous shale yields a soil richer in carbonate of lime than does a pure limestone. 
The soil resting upon the Niagara or Onondaga limestone is usually quite deficient in this 
element. This results from ihe nature of the purer limestones, namely, the slowness of 
their disintegration. 
A soil which rests on the same shales, three miles east of Manlius, has the following 
composition : 
Water of absorption. 2*00 
Vegctable matter. 6*00 
Silicates... 81*50 
Peroxide of iron and alumina. 8*00 
Carbonate of lime... 2*25 
Magnesia. 0*25 
99*75 
A specimen consisting of 200 grains of soil, taken from Mr. Ellis’s cornfield, based upon 
the same rock, on being subjected to the action of water, gave 
Soluble matter. 1*20 
Mineral salts. 0*80 
Organic salts.... 0*40 
The mineral salts consisted of 
Silica. 0*02 
Chlorides of lime and magnesia. 0*48 
Sulphate of lime___ 0*07 
Alumina. 0*01 
Carbonate of lime..........._ 0*20 
0*78 
