Studies of a Scottish drift soil

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Abstract
1. An examination is made of some aspects of the replacement or exchange of bases by ammonium chloride solution, in a soil about which considerable information had been acquired regarding its physical, chemical, and mineralogical constitution, namely, the soil of Craibstone Experiment Farm, Aberdeen. Certain data in this connection are given. 2. The “course of replacement” of calcium by ammonia, by successive applications of equal amounts of a normal solution of ammonium chloride is examined, according to the method of Gedroiz. Comparison is made between the results got for the Craibstone soil and those for a tshernoziem soil examined by Gedroiz. By means of graphs the agreement between the two soils as to the “course of replacement” is shown, and a distinction made between easily extractable calcium, and that more slowly removed in solution. The “course of replacement” of potassium and magnesium in the Craibstone soil is also examined. 3. The presence of silicon, aluminium, iron and manganese is also noted in the extracts. 4. The soil is also examined for “Total Exchangeable Bases” by extraction with normal ammonium chloride, according to the method of Hissink, with minor modifications. 5. Exchangeable aluminium, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium and sodium were found and in addition silicon was present in the extracts. 6. The question of the presence of silicon, aluminium, iron and manganese in measurable amounts in extracts from acid soils is discussed. 7. The relative proportions of exchangeable divalent and monovalent bases found were as follows. Calcium 85·02 per cent., magnesium 8·11 per cent., potassium 2·18 per cent., sodium 4·68 per cent. These results are in general agreement with those found for acid soils.