Litmus And Alkali
Categories: Soils, Fertilizers and IrrigationIs there any simple soil test for alkali that can be made without a
chemical analysis?
You can ascertain the presence of alkali by using red litmus paper,
which will be turned blue by the alkali in the soil, if the soil is
moist enough. This does not determine the amount of alkali, but the
quickness of the turning to the blue color and the depth of the color
are both attained when the alkali is very strong. When there is less
alkali, the reaction is slower and weaker. This test, however, gives you
only a rough idea whether the soil is suitable for growing plants. You
can tell that better by the appearance of the plants which you find. Any
druggist can furnish the litmus paper, and give you a demonstration of
how it acts on contact with alkali.
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