Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
The early authorities, Mulder, de Saussure, Berzelius and others, considered the whole of the precipitate obtained by adding acid to an alkaline extract of soil to be humic acid,—a single substance to which they assigned a definite formula. Hoppe-Seyler and others found, however, that the precipitate was not homogeneous; a portion dissolved in alcohol, which he named hymatomelanic acid. It was from this that Schreiner and Shorey isolated a number of organic acids, all of which were either colourless or only faintly coloured.
page 66 note 1 Zeit, physiol. chem. 1889, 13, 62.Google Scholar
page 66 note 2 U.S. Dept. of Agric. Bur. of Soils, Bull. 74 (1910).Google Scholar
page 66 note 3 Ber. 1912, 45, 651Google Scholar; Internat. Mitt. für Bodenkunde, 1916, 6, 81Google Scholar; Kolloid. Zeit. 1914, 14, 123.Google Scholar
page 66 note 4 Journ. für Landw. 1913, 61, 427.Google Scholar
page 66 note 5 The solvent action of pyridine on some of the constituents of peat humus is recorded by Miklauz, (Zeit. für Moorkultur und Torfverwertung, 1908, 6, 285.Google Scholar
page 67 note 1 The collodion filters were made by soaking filter papers in a 10 per cent, solution of dry pyroxylin in glacial acetic acid (M.P. 15° C.), till translucent. The excess of collodion was drained off, the filter being reversed to obtain an even coating, and the paper immersed in water. When all the acetic acid was removed by successive washings the filters were ready for use. These filters proved very satisfactory when used with a filter pump.