816 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. xvm. 



&c., containing 7'78 of phosphoric acid. * If we deduct 

 the oil, we shall have for 100 parts of the fish, according 

 to this analysis, 11*2 of ammonia, and 9 '3 of phosphoric 

 acid. 



' By comparing these figures with the results calcu- 

 lated for the animal portion of Mr. Bruce's manures, we 

 find 



Ammonia Phosphoric Acid 



Manure from sardines (Payen) . . 14-5 7*0 



Dried menhadden (Cooke) . . .11-2 9-3 



Manure by Mr. Bruce .... 3-75 34 



(excluding shale) . 12 - 5 11-3 



The proportion of phosphates is of course greater in the 

 more bony fishes. In the manure of Mr. Bruce there are 

 doubtless small amounts of phosphoric acid and ammonia, 

 derived from the shale and the products of its distillation : 

 but these do not however warrant the introduction of an 

 inert material which reduces more than two-thirds the 

 commercial value of the manure. The results which we 

 have given clearly show, that by the application of a 

 process similar to that now applied in France and in 

 Newfoundland, which consists in cooking the fish, 

 pressing it to extract the oil and water, drying by 

 artificial heat, and grinding it to powder, it is easy to 

 prepare a concentrated portable manure, whose value, as 

 a source of phosphoric acid and ammonia, will be in 

 roimd numbers about $40 the ton. 



' We can scarcely doubt that by the application of this 

 process a new source of profit may be found in the 



* Report of the Geological Survey of New Jersey for 1856, p. 63. 



