Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-07-12
the air, and render the soil loose and pre-


quantity of water held by soils after being
exposed to the SUMS rays, is that only
which is considered as forming compo,
ncnt part Of them.
The following method Of ana alysine
soils, or ascertaning the proportions oI
their component parts, is, if carefully con-
Quoted, sufficiently accurate for all practi-
cal purposes.
Specimens Of the soil should be taken
about three inches below the surface, and
from the average of the field. A conve-
nient quantity TO experiment upon, after
stones are separated, is about 400 grains.
!. Separate by two sieves all the stones
and pebbles with one, those larger than
a quarter Of an inch in diameter, and with
the other those less. TO effect this, the
soil must be we'll dried in the sun and gent
ly bruised in mortar. Then ascertain
by weighing, the rate per cent. each bears
to the original mass and note it down.
2. The soil after weighing is then placed
in crucible and heated ten or fifteen
minutes to temperature Of about 800
Fahrenheit, constantly stirring it; and il
a thermometer is not used, the proper de-
gree of heat may be easily ascertained by
means of the wooden rod with which it is
stirred while the colour of the wood re-
mains unchanged it is not too hot, but as
soon as it begins to become brown, the
process must be stopped. 1t is then again
weighed, and the loss is set down as ra-
ter.
3. 1t is next returned to the crucible,
and exposed to high red heat, till no
blackness remains in it, repeatedly stirring
it with an iron rod so as to expose new
surfaces continually to the air. 1t is again
weighed, and the loss denotes the amount
Of animal and regetabie matter.
4. Mix the remainder with three or four
times its weight Of water, stir it thorough
ly for several minutes, until it is intimately
dihused, and then suffer it to rest. The
coarse sand will fall to the bottom Of the
vessel in about minute, the finer in two
or three minutes. The liquid is then
poured off into another vessel, the sand
dried and weighed, and its quantity noted
down MS Silicious soil,
3. The decanted liquid is suffered to
stand till it settles and becomes clear; it
is then poured off, and the sediment dried
at red heat, weighed, and set down as
aiuminOuS soil.
6. The presence Of carbonate of lime
in soil. (which is generally in small guam
,ities,I is readily ascertained by pouring
upon it muratic acid diluted with water.
If it contains carbonate Of lime an cf-
lervesccnce Immediately takes place in a
greater or less degree. according to the
quantity. TO ascertain the proportion of
this ingredient, place new portion of the
soil in n glass vessel, and ascertain it's
weight; also determine the weight of about
gill of diluted muriatic acid, and place
weights in one side Of the scales to balance
them both; then pour on the muriatic acid.
In three hours, all the carbonic acid from
the carbonate of lime will have been driv-
Ell of, and after blowing it out of the ves-
sci ascertain the loss Of weight. Then
as 50 is to so, so is this loss to the amount
of carbonate of lime in the soil.*
1t may be important to be able to detect
sulphate OF lime (sypsum) in soils, though
i, is not generally looked upon as COM
ponent part. The following is Sir r..
Davy's method: n given weight Of soil
must be heated red for half an hour in a
cruciblc mixed with one-third Of powder
charcoal. The mixture must be boiled for
quarter Of an hour, in halfa pint water,
aud the liquid passed through filter, and
exposed for some days to the uir in an
open vessel. If any considerable quantity
of gypsum exist in the soil, white precipi-
tate will gradually form in the liquid, and
the weight of it will indicate the proportion.
The most fertile soils arc those which
contain proper proportion Of the different
ingredients. The following are the proper
lions ola rich alluvial soil, given by Sir
John Sinclair as the most fertile for
grasses. Slick, (including stones and sand)
II parts, aluminc 7, carbonate Of lime 6,
animal and vegetable matter 9. 1t also
contained one part in 200 Of gypsum.
The proportions agree very nearly with
those given by Professor Eaton Of the best
river alluvion near Troy, IN. W These
were, Slick, (includng stones and pebb!es>
IS, aluminc 7, carbonate Of lime 3, dccom.
posed animal and vegetable matter l l, solu'
bio salts l, water 3, A soil whose constl.
tucnts approach these, cannot be unproduc'
tive in any climate.
The muutcncsS of the division oftLc
parts of soil greatly influences lis qualities
In the first part Of the above soils 1875 parts
only out Of 400 could be separated by a
very fine sieve. Poor soils often have 800
..., a,,t 1c d0D &c roorco n,otnriolS