Dec., 1916
T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
1173
The writer believes that he was the first to chronicle such a n observation. He also believes that the absorption of bases noted by Mr. Truog is the same phenomenon, though different in degree. For, as might be expected, the absorption of K ions E. Truog, of the University of Wisconsin, in answer to a previous from a strongly dissociated solution would be different from the letter addressed to youby the undersigned. Force of circumstances absorption of Ca and Mg ions from the relatively insoluble carbonate. has prevented an earlier reply to the letter of Mr. Truog. Mr. Truog further expresses himself as being unable to underThe writer had no desire to institute a controversy, nor did stand the writer’s differentiation between “immediate” and he wish to engender any personal feeling. He did wish, however, “continued lime requirement” and intimates that the latter, if to cite what appeared to him to be several inconsistencies in the existent, should be a definite and determinable quantity. The article by Mr. Truog, in the April number of THISJOURNAL, writer endeavored to emphasize the fact that one, the immediate, 8 (1gr6), 341 The reply by Mr. Truog attributes to the writer efwas quantitative under certain conditions, while the other, forts so divergent from his real intention that, in justice t o himthe continued, was progressive and indefinite in extent In self, it seems essential that the writer state his own position. his original article giving the method for the determination of In Mr. Truog’s reply there appeared two supplementary immediate lime requirement, the writer stated-“The studies citations: one from Mr. F. P. Veitch, and the other from a further lead to the conclusion that there is a considerable differrecent article by Mr. Tmog himself. Since the cited article ence between a soil’s immediate ability to decompose CaC03 of Veitch had not been mentioned in the previous article by Mr. and its propensity to continue the decomposition, when soil Truog and since the article by Truog had not appeared in print I n offering and an excess of CaCOa continue in moist contact. a t the time when the undersigned forwarded his communication the method, the differentiation is therefore made between to THISJOURNAL, it is obvious that these two articles are not immediate and continued lime requirements of soils.” Recognizgermane to the discussion and hence will be so considered. ing thus the differenccs between the two types of absorption, The gist of Mr. Truog’s letter is that the undersigned de- the writer endeavored to develop the procedure which would sired recognition or adoption by Mr. Truog of the terms im- effect the decomposition of maximum amount of CaC03 under mediate and continued lime requirement. This conception may laboratory conditions, a t the same time noting the fact that have been due to the phraseology of the caption of the letter by further long-continued contact between soil and basic carthe undersigned, or to the use of quotation marks in designating bonates would result in additional absorption of the basic ions. the respective terms used by the writer and Mr. Truog. The Further reference to the work of the writer and his associates writer did not expect Mr. Truog to adopt his terminology, since was made by Mr. Truog in the April number of THISJOURNAL, such a course would be inconsistent with the belief of Mr. as establishing the correctness of Mr. Truog’s thesis as t o the Truog in the permanent occurrence of true acids in the soil. presence in the soil of acids of varying “avidity.” The viewMr. Truog considered the lime requirement method of the point thus advanced seemed inconsistent t o the writer, and he writer in a paragraph embodying a discussion of “soil acidity wished to record his belief. After offering a table of data showdeterminations ” ’ But, the writer does not believe that true ing an apparent approximation in equivalence of basic ions acids occur in soils, save for the limited occurrence of organic absorbed from barium, calcium and sodium hydrates as demonacids during a brief transitory stage, subsequent to such condi- strating “the intervention of true chemical reactions,” Mr. tions as the iricorporatioii of green manure While wishing to Truog states that the excessive absorption of magnesium rehave an open mind upon this question, he has not been able to ported by the writer and associates is explained by the deferred find proof of the occurrence of true soil acids. In his work, activities of a large amount of “latent acidity.” He failed t o cited by Mr. Truog, the writer has shown that pure Si02 and note, however, that in the case of equivalent applications of numerous ignited siliceous substances were able to effect the CaC08 made simultaneously, only a small fraction had been decomposition of earthy carbonates, which phenomenon is absorbed, even after nine months of contact. This marked assumed by Mr. Truog t o be a function of true acidity only. disparity between the amounts of the two bases absorbed results Such a reaction must be due either to physical absorption of the from a phenomenon diametrically opposite to the one indicated basic ion with liberation of COZ, or else it must be assumed by the hydrate absorption studies offered by Mr. Truog. Prethat the exceedingly weak Si02 and Ti02 radicals are capable viously published work of the writer, together with Messrs. of effecting decomposition of the carbonate under the influence Willis and Hardy, has shown that soils long in contact with an of their mass excess of CaCOs were still able to decompose a considerable I n using the respective terms care was taken that the termi- amount of MgCO3. It would seem that a year’s contact benology should indicate, without possibility of confusion, the tween a sterile soil and an excess of CaCO3 would definitely predivergent view-points held by Mr. Truog and the writer. While clude the presence of any true acidity, and that subsequent we have no final tribunal to pass upon terminology, the term decomposition of further applications of carbonate should be “lzme requirement” is given official recognition by the Associa- attributed only to absorption. tion of Official Agricultural Chemists, two referees being assigned KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE Vi. H. MACINTIRE to its study, while the term “soil acidity” and the supposed November 16, 1916 method for its determination have been discarded. It was INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCES AND CHEMICAL SHOWintended, however, that the terminology should be considered CORRECTIONS as incident and entirely secondary t o the observations, in discussing the article by Mr. Truog. In our report on pages g j j and gj6, Dr. Matthewson is printed The writer had the opportunity of studying the lime-treated for H. W. Matheson. plats of the Pennsylvania Station in 1911 and he observed a t On pages 961 and 962, Walter H. Dixon should read Walter H. that time an extensive and continued absorption of lime by the Dickerson. alkaline soil of those plats. During several years’ study of On page 967, Dr. Salisbury is printed for A. C. Stalknecht, lime absorption under laboratory control a t the Tennessee Dr. Conrad for Dr. Conradson, Dr. Baker for C. V. Bacon; AmerStation he has been able to confirm the observation. I n other ican League should read American Legion. words, the absorption of earthy carbonates continues long after On page 970, Barber Asphalt Paving Company should read alkaline reaction is attained as a result of application of calcium The Barrett Company. Also, description of the Barber Asphalt carbonate in excess of that required to give an alkaline reaction, Paving Company’s exhibit was entirely omitted.
ACTIVE AND LATENT SOIL ACIDITY us. IMMEDIATE AND CONTINUED LIME REQUIREMENT Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: 1nT”Is JOURNAL, 8 (r916), 756, thereappearedaletterfromMr.
...
