Note 12 — Chapter II · THE CHEMICAL PROCESSES OF SOIL FORMATION.

The correctness of Letheby’s analyses has been disputed, partly because of their disagreement with former analyses in the very high amount of lime, partly because of the high potash-content in the Low-Nile water. The lime content is, however, confirmed by the partial analyses made by Mathey in 1887, which gives an average of 44.1 for the year, while the older analyses, made in Europe, of transported water gave only half as much. Letheby working on the spot was doubtless more nearly right in this respect. His figure for potash in the “Low-Nile” water agrees with former determinations, but that in the “High-Nile” is approached only by that in the Dwina water. It may be suspected that the soda is too low and potash too high in this analysis.