AUCKLAND INSTITUTE. 



First Meeting. 1st June, 1885. 

 J. A. Pond, President, in the chair. 



New Members. — Mrs. E. Craig, S. Eastham, C. Hudson, J. 

 Kenderdine, J. S. Eutherford, W. Tait. 



1. The President delivered the anniversary address. 



Abstract. 



It is a pleasing duty, in opening this session, to say that, from a monetary 

 point of view, we are in a position of comfort, if not affluence, by the sub- 

 stantial legacy of the late Mr. E. Costley, and the endowment of land by 

 the New Zealand Government. The effect of these gifts will be felt in the 

 future by the increased usefulness of this Institute to aid in the advance of 

 science and natural history, and thus directly to assist in the development 

 of the resources of our colony, and also in conserving that portion of our 

 fauna, as far as possible, which seems doomed to extinction by the advance 

 of new and probably more fitted forms of life. 



After reviewing the progress of the colony during the last fifteen years, 

 he proceeded to discuBs the sources of natural wealth in the colony, under 

 the divisions of Agriculture, Mining, Manufactures. With reference to them 

 he made the following important remarks : — 



With the enrichment of the food supplies of the sheep, and the intro- 

 duction of imported grasses in the place of some at least of the native ones, 

 it will be possible to still further improve the staple, largely increase the 

 carrying capacity of the land, and consequently our producing power. 



Now, chemistry has taught us that the soil does not contain an endless 

 store of fertilisers in a soluble form favourable for plant food, and so 

 capable of yielding the amount of nutrition demanded by an unlimited 

 number of stock ; and it must not be forgotten that, in the export of our 

 millions sterling annually, we are also drawing largely upon the stores of 

 valuable material which a long course of years has made available for us in 

 the natural decomposition of the soils. 



Let us see, then, what science teaches us in reference to our losses by 

 these exports, of which we are so justly proud. 



In the year 1883 our statistics tell us that our export of wool amounted 

 to 28,125 tons, while chemistry informs us that this immense mass of wealth 

 carried away with it also — 



Potash to the amount of 1,216 tons. 



Nitrogen, equal to ammonia, to the amount of 4,734 tons. 



Here we have a loss not generally considered. Possibly the nitrogen of 

 the air may gradually replace that which has been carried away, but the 

 potash is actually a factor of our wealth gone from us. 



In respect to the export of grain for that year, we find that the weight 

 of wheat exported amounted to 131,250 tons, and the weight of valuable 

 fertilisers lost with it are in the following proportions : — 



Nitrogen, equal to ammonia . . . . 3,270 tons. 



Phosphoric acid 1,127 ,, 



Potash 704 „ 



