338 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXXI, No. 4 
Table VI. — Effect of reducing proportion of NaCl to HgCh in 1 + 1 and (l + l) + 0 
applications 
Method of ap¬ 
plication 
Solutions applied 
Penetration 
First application 
Second application 
In 3 
days 
In 4 
days 
1+1 «_ 
1 per centHgCl2+5 per cent NaCl, 
Water, 2 quarts per square foot_ 
Inches 
8+ 
Inches 
9 
(1+l)+0. 
2 quarts per square foot. 
Vi per cent HgCla+2^ per cent 
Vi per cent HgCl 2 + 2 J 4 per cent 
7 to 8 
7 to 8 
1+1__ 
NaCl 2 quarts per square foot. 
1 per cent HgCla+2 per cent NaCl, 
NaCl. 2 quarts per square foot. 
Water, 2 quarts per square foot_ 
7 to 8 
8 to 9 
(1+1)+0.. 
2 quarts per square foot. 
Vi per cent HgClg+l per cent 
Vi per cent HgCb+NaCl, 2 quarts 
7 to 8 
6 to 7 
NaCl, 2 quarts per square foot. 
per square foot. 
• See page 332, “How solutions were applied” for further explanation of these symbols. Each figure is 
the average for 3 tubes. Soil used, Manor loam containing 10.5 per cent of moisture. 
STANDARD TREATMENT 
On the basis of these and other preliminary experiments 1 gallon 
per square foot was adopted as the standard application and the 
amount of chemicals required to make 1 gallon of ^ per cent HgCl 2 + 
per cent NaCl solution was adopted as the standard quantity of 
chemical to be applied per square foot. It was not deemed wise to 
spend the time necessary to fix the amount of chemicals more accu¬ 
rately, especially in view of the fact that it seemed certain to vary 
with different soils. 
Penetration of HgCl 2 in Potting Soil 
Penetration of mercuric chloride in potting soil was so erratic that 
experiments with potting soil were discontinued. Using 1 gallon of 
solution (or of solution plus water) the penetrations, as determined 
by tests with H 2 S, were as follows: In air dry (2 per cent moisture) 
potting soil penetration varied from none at the end of five days to 
7 to 8 inches at the end of one day (18 tubes); in soil containing 11.4 
to 14.8 per cent moisture the maximum penetration secured was 
2 to 3 inches (36 tubes); in soil containing 17.6 to 17.8 per cent 
moisture penetration varied from 7 to 8 inches to 10 to 11 inches 
(36 tubes). In 13 of the tubes filled with soil containing 11.4 or 
14.8 per cent moisture no positive test was obtained at any depth. 
Two of these were tested at the end of one day. Evidently the 
mercuric chloride was removed from solution or else its character 
changed very soon after application. Whether the differences in 
results were due to varying amounts or types of fertilizers in the soil 
used or to other causes was not determined. 
Penetration of HgCL+NaCl Solutions in Manor Loam as Shown by H 2 S 
Tests 
As shown in Tables VII and VIII, the penetration of mercuric 
chloride in solutions 11 containing sodium chloride and applied at the 
rate of 1 gallon per square foot was determined in soil containing 
different percentages of moisture. In many of the experiments the 
u Unless otherwise stated standard treatments were given. 
