TRANSACTIONS OF THIS SECTIONS. 
71 
'ff-ent paper was rather to discuss the methods of analysis, than to rely with con¬ 
duce on the conclusions to which we might be led, by the more direct application 
'i the results yet obtained, to the solution of the several important scientific and 
pocticil questions, upon which they bore. Tables were exhibited, showing the 
wimratal results obtained in the estimation of ammonia in rain-water, by several 
' rent methods, In the first instance, they hud distilled very large amounts (from 
I '. tn J00 pounds o* more) of rain-water, to which a little caustic potash was 
f- ' uuiy added, and repeated the distillation, collecting in each case about half the 
~"t put into the retort, until the whole was reduced to a convenient bulk for 
vtWrconcentration ill an open vessel. This was then evaporated, with a known 
• ■ant c-f sulphuric acid, to a given vulumc; mid measured portions of this final 
!**»(* were then neutralized by a standard alkaline solution, in the usual manner 
quid analysis. This method the authors conceived gave very good results ; but it 
^ ten abandoned from the great practical inconvenience and frequent breakage, 
in uctrug distillations in glass, on so large a settle. They had next adopted a 
-jim substantially the same as that of M. Bou'singault, in which generally not 
■ m one litre of water was operated upon. By this method, exceedingly minute 
ttaiiarw' 000 * 8 , mrnon ' a c °uhl he determined, and iu careful hands very valuable 
it.*!? ;j. e . re,u " 3 m 'ght be obtained. It appeared, however, that in relation to the 
- ■ n ’ 8ra °unt of ammonia contained in a litre of rain, or other waters, the 
T' authors ITtT g / Uer * ll >’ n °f * es3 ibatj •! ur Tt per cent, of such total amount. 
of water* iic - ' n l ^ e ' r more recent experiments, operated upon several 
tehl thus hrm!\t * brs * ’ n3tui ] ce < reducing it by successive distillations to one half, 
''-Hired nrmvHc °. a convenient amount, lor final distillation— and the testing of 
1 ■ uiodilicuiinn'°"?1 amounts of the product uecording to Boussiuganlt's method. 
**» considered tn'I • t le aut bors found M, Boussingault had himself suggested, 
• than anv n f »t Im P artdnt i and more applicable to this delicate subject of 
Dctliod 0 f i ar ,i° .„ ars 3' et “tempted. However, results obtained by their 
‘ u process ahnLwi« •* l ^ c *‘^ c °f those by Boussiuganlt's single distil- 
,i on *|derable coincidence; such as to give confidence in the 
tapirs of *£-»* * *"'■ WpdgBof ' linati ms in nle in mrmthly 
•'••at.'. .. 01 “tevam which frit ... .. .. __' 
■ pwt of ammonia U W u m, 1 . at Rothanstet during more than a year, gave 
1 n *ade by Bonsai,.,\ lon of rain-water; the average of many clcterinma- 
11111 ; whilst the U ;. at ^tebfrauenberg in Alsace was nbout four-fifths of this 
hd*. a ? muc h fts 3 or 4 atla,,8 » both of M. Barrel and M. Boussingault, nt Baris 
' u interesting too te , !• ’ or , even ni °re, of ammonia per million of rain-water. 
•“tHhors had obtained !? li 6 ’ 1 . * dlc variations in the amount of ammonia which 
tl nn **fon with the renilt 10 , ra,n °f different but entire months, when considered 
'lib!!?.'character* of ft,* cm * . <imou,,tx of the fall, the direction of the wind, and 
5' Bousainttault ,'T eat , Wer ® perfectly consistent in kind with the re- 
WJ?® 61 * 0 * Iho wafer “ ■P eci «l •xammalions of rain falling under different 
the nL^ d0W ? 1 ** fc g». The process adopted by the nu- 
* *■ “> v cral tj nil , s , acid, was, to ovaporate the rain-water with an alkaline 
r'c-.ef 8 \v\( ,,itr °8 e n bv DnnW fl a’ t0 W< i^ l ' ,c so,id residue, and determine its 
*'■! :hL „ '“'some 0 f thu i. j 05 * v °R'me-inothod of combustion with oxide of 
*f?ly with rat |* er nitric acid R «;ii 10 f° v the determination of small quantities of 
l-uions J 4 "^ ence , all the r«* n great desideratum. They hesitated therefore to 
!' * 4ich 5S av «ew to the solution* nf* J?!*V iin 1 c,i '. ,0 tl,e di * cu «* ion of lhp important 
a °pcd further , 1 ° f wb,cb tbc investigation had been undertaken, 
sr-eanr„_ er to prosecute. A* ... ......—......,u .. .. 
*n£ !5 e i>er. 
4'"", »nd"X r ‘ centa ge a»iniw*!r cciltp ' . n general result, however, it would 
P*> other fc thcr ® hud been K ' ncrall - V ,eM in roin of thunder- 
' I "5icaS d, ,u eme<1 to hehicreai?^ V °. f lho of nitric acid, 
t‘> Caeid .Wa tl ) at *ke ammmt ?r d -I 1,,derlho " ,fll,cnc « of storms. The results 
T IZZ lZVV‘\ h], <l bv r»i»» wAtor in the form of 
ES of pli°, d0U > t tlS nL t ri' W . ° xis,ed as “ mn,on “i ^d, since 
frdm Jr .t Vlrtqe of the nitrotJ? 1 td : ‘' 5 m ? nure * greatly enhanced the 
Ter y impon- . lL ! atmosphere in i V '^ aon . ta,ned i * ,,e amount of nitrogen 
n P°rtant influence'em vegetation! 11 aCid ’ murt bc consid "cd to 
