Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-12-30
The Ahsorrtlre poMer d soIl.

Il is an important discovery of recent
date that soils have the power of separat-
ing not only ammonia, but other bases
also, from their solutions, and Of holding
them with great tenacity after their alb
sorption. Thus 100 grains of clay soil,
taken from the plastic clay formation of
England, absorbed 1850 grains of potash
from a solution of caustic potash contain
ing one per cent of the alkali. IT. is in
teresting to observe that the liquid was
not in this case filtered through the soil,
but the cold solution was merely left in
contact with 1t for twelve hours. p (
1t has been further shown that soils have
the ability to separate the alkaline bases
from the acids with which they are com.
bined. Whensaline solutions were slowly
filtered through soils five or six inches
deep, the liquids which passed through
were deprived Of their alkaline bases, rs
potash, soda, ammonia, and magnesa, and
only the acids were to be found in combi-
nation with some other base. Thus when
muriate of ammonia was filtered through
the soil, the ammonia was removed, and a
corresponding quantity of lime, in COM
bination with murlatic acid was found in
the filtered liquid. In the same way sui
phate Of potash was deprived Of its base,
and the liquid collected gave sulphate Of
lime on analysis.
Those soils which have the greatest
amount of capillary porosity will cpndense
the greatest amount of manurial substances
on their internal surfaces will retain them
longest against the adverse, solvent action of
water, and will give them out most readily
to the rootlets of the growing plant. A
mass of adhesive clay will absorb but a
very slight amount of available manure I;
but if this same mass is rendered friable
bymechanical processes, its power of alb
sorption is amazingly increased. In view
Of what has been stated, it Is very clear
that one way in which plowing increases
the fertility of land, is by increasing its
porosity by pulverization.
Again, many manurial substances exist
in the soil, which, being insOluble, exer.
ciseno action on the growth of plants, and
contribute nothing to their nutrition but
by the slow, though regular action of the
frosts and the rain, the air and the sun
shine, insoluble ard refractory compounds,
are reduced to soluble state and are ap-
propriated and held on deposit by the soil
to the credit of the next cultivated crop.
This explains the well known fact that
soils that have been cropped to the very
verge of barrenness will recover their fer
tility, If allowed to remain long enough
under the action of climatic influences, to
saturate the soil with the necessary plant
food which they have unlocked from their
chemical combinations, and given to the
soil in proper physical condition. These
changes are brought about more rapidly
when certain mechanical changes of con.
dition are wrought upon the soil,
CarbOnic acid is one of the most active
of the agents employed in bringing the
insOluble organic matter in the soil into
that physical condition in which it be-
comes available as plant food; in order
that this acid may be formed it is essen.
tial that the carbonaceous matters in the
soil should be brought into direct contact
with the atmosphere, from which they pro.
cure the oxygen necessary to convert them
into carbonic acid So long as stagnant
water remains in the soil, or so long as the
soil is in a dense or a very compact condi-
ton, 1t is impossible for the carbon to be
converted into acid-BoSton Journal o.
(NelUjStyN