INSTITUTE, PUS^, FOR 1917-18 25 



Amongst the manures examined was a sample of guano 

 from the Nicobar Islands which contained 8-5 per cent, 

 nitrogen. 



A number of soils were received for examination from 

 the Settlement Officer, Gorakhpur, consisting of various 

 types of bhat and hangar soils. The analyses disclosed the 

 fact that bhat soils are characterized by a high carbonate 

 of lime content and could be classed as marls, whereas the 

 proportion of lime in the hangar soils was low and they 

 would be classed as loams. The bhat soils had a unifor- 

 mally low available phosphoric acid (P.,00 content, whereas 

 that of the hangar soils was about normal, although the 

 total phosphoric acid present in both types was not dissi- 

 milar. 



The following assistance was rendered to other 

 Sections : — 



Mycological Section. Six samples of soil from apple 

 orchard soils and 21 samples from selected plots 

 growing jute were analysed. The loss of copper 

 sulphate during the steeping of jute seeds was 

 determined. 

 Botanical Section. One " usar " soil was examined. 

 A gricultural Section. Eighteen samples of manures 

 and 48 of sugarcane and feeding stuffs were 

 analysed and reported upon. 

 Indigo Research Section. Seventy-three soils were 

 analysed, consisting of samples from indigo 

 soils of Bihar and samples from the experi- 

 mental indigo plots of the Imperial Agricul- 

 tural Bacteriologist. Three samples of cement 

 and one of petrol were also examined. 

 Imperial Cotton Specialist. Fifty-one samples of 

 cotton seeds were examined for their feeding 

 value. 



V. Methods of Analysis. 

 Dyer's method of estimating the available plant food 

 in soils, or one of its many modifications, is adopted by 



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