334 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXXI, No. 4 
TEST FOR KEROSENE 
No chemical test could be found for kerosene, nevertheless some 
experiments were run with it. The penetration of the kerosene was 
tested by three methods. The soil sample on removal from the tube 
was smelled, then part of it was placed on a sheet of white paper and 
the remainder put in water. Kerosene makes a transparent spot 
on paper and makes a film of oil on water; or, if present in larger 
amounts, forms drops of oil on the surface of the water. Repeated 
tests checked by several persons indicated that the odor test was 
shorter and perhaps more accurate than the others. The odor test 
was checked by the oil-film-on-water test each time. These tests 
may be far from accurate. In many cases the odor of the soil was 
changed markedly for two inches below the point which gave a 
characteristic kerosene odor. Whether this change in odor indicated 
the presence of small amounts of kerosene or of some penetrating 
constituent of the kerosene such as vapor or soil-water film, the 
writers do not know. 
TEST FOR ALCOHOL 
To test for the presence of alcohol a few crystals of iodine were 
dissolved in the filtered soil solution and a few drops of a dilute solu¬ 
tion of sodium hydroxide were added. The test tube was then 
gently heated if necessary. If alcohol was present an odor of iodo¬ 
form was given off, and if the amount of alcohol was not too small, 
yellow crystals of iodoform were precipitated. 
TEST FOR QTJA-SUL 
The chemical test used to determine the presence of Qua-sul was 
a simple precipitation test. When concentrated hydrochloric acid 
was allowed to drop into dilute solutions of Qua-sul, free sulphur was 
precipitated. 
TEST FOR SODIUM CHLORIDE 
To test for the presence of salt in soil solutions a dilute solution of 
silver nitrate was used. The addition of a few drops of the silver 
nitrate solution to the soil solution filtrate caused the formation of a 
white precipitate if sodium chloride was present. 
PRELIMINARY PENETRATION TESTS 
Penetration of Formaldehyde 
Almost immediately after the chemical test for the presence of 
formaldehyde in soil solutions was found, experiments were begun to 
determine the penetration of formaldehyde in soil in the experi¬ 
mental gardens at Freeland, Pa. Some plots 1 yard square were 
laid out and treated with formaldehyde at the rate of 3^ gallon per 
square foot. Samples from near the center of these small plots were 
tested. All tests of soil taken from a depth greater than 4 inches 
were negative for most plots. Occasionally formaldehyde was found 
below 4 inches, in one or two cases as deep as 8 to 9 inches. A few 
preliminary experiments were carried out m the laboratory at Wash¬ 
ington, D. C., with tap water to determine the approximate amounts 
of soil required to fill the tubes used and of water and time required 
