A comparison of the quantity of organic matter destroyed by the
hydrogen peroxide method with the total organic matter determined
by combustion is important. Although the former method is not
accurate in determining the total organic matter in soils, since considerable
carbon is found in the residues, the latter method is likewise
inaccurate because of the uncertainty of the use of the factor for a
particular soil. The hydrogen peroxide method has an advantage in
that it gives a direct determination of the weight of the organic
matter destroyed; and, since the quantity of undecomposed carbonaceous
matter is small in many cases, it would seem that this
method might give results as near the correct value as would the
combustion methods.