6-7 EDWARD VII. 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



A. 1907 



REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



FRANK T. SHUTT, M.A., F.I.C., F.C.S., F.R.S.C. 



Dr. \tM. Saunders, C.M.G., 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Ottawa, March 31, 1906. 



Sin, — I have the honour to submit the accompanying report on the character and 

 scope of the work of the Chemical Division. It is to be regarded as a brief and popu- 

 lar account of the various ways in which it has been sought to assist Canadian Agri- 

 culture by chemical investigation during the past 19 years. The writer has purposely 

 omitted data and matter of technical character, desiring merely to point out the nature 

 of the researches undertaken and adding a few illustrations to bring home the practical 

 value of the work. 



I have the honour to be, sir, 



Your obedient servant 



FRANK T. SHUTT, 

 Chemist, Dominion Experimental Farms. 



THE CHEMICAL DIYISION. 



The work in the Chemical Division was begun in the autumn of 1887, soon after 

 the establishment of the Experimental Farm system. As at first there was no accom- 

 modation suitable for laboratory purposes at the Central Farm, temporary quarters 

 were procured and fitted up in the city of Ottawa, and there chemical work was carried 

 on by iho v.ritcr until June, 1SS9, Vi^hen a removal was made to new laboratories erected 

 at the Farm. These laboratories occupied, practically, one-half of the general office 

 and museum building and furnished substantial accommodation for the chemical 

 work. Experience proved them to be well designed as to convenience, light, etc., for 

 the class of work intended to be undertaken. 



An unfortunate accident, resulting in a disastrous fire, occurred in these 

 laboratories in July, 1896. The laboratories were completely gutted and, practically, 

 all the apparatus, tables, etc., destroyed. The most serious loss, however, was in the 

 records and data in connection with investigations in progress and in the samples of 

 Canadian soils and agricultural products, the accumulation of nine years. The 

 laboratories were temporarily fitted up and equipped and work resumed within a few 

 weeks of the fire, but it was thought desirable to erect a separate and fire-proof build- 

 ing which would give still better facilities for chemical work, rather than to per- 

 manently refit the disabled laboratory. 



Such a building was finally decided upon and built in 1898. It was ready for 

 occupation in August, 1899, and since that date has been in use. The building is of 

 brick with stone basement and trimmings and with pressed brick for the interior 

 finish. It contains on the main floor two laboratories and offices for the chemist and 



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