Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
1. Phosphorus in hydrochloric acid extracts of soil may be conveniently determined by digestion with sulphuric and nitric acids.
2. By boiling soil with hydrochloric acid (B.P. 110° C.) for 48 hours under reflux an end-point of extraction is reached.
3. Digestion of soil with sulphuric and nitric acids gives results in agreement with results by 48 hours” hydrochloric acid extraction.
4. It is suggested that the phosphorus thus extracted represents a definite category of soil phosphorus, which may be taken as the total phosphorus present in the soil.
5. Details of the suggested method are given.