October i, 1882.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



359 



Alps, the Carpathian Mountains, the Caucasus, and the 

 Himalayas, iutroiluced during recent years into English 

 gardens, will, by this process, flourish under a simple glass 

 all the year round. " 



These statements may lie left to our readers' judgment, we 

 thiuk ] Moss is a useful aid iu its place, Imt much of the more 

 important kind of plaut culture in rooms may be carried 

 on -without its aid, and has as been so carried on for many 

 years, iu our own country and iu others where room 

 culture is more largely practised. It may be useful in 

 various kinds of culture in light vessels or baskets for 

 certain positions, but its use will be hmited, by reason 

 of the special sale of the fertilised moss as a pateuted 

 article. Such merit as it has, however, should not 

 be used to uusettle people's minds as to the value of 

 soil, in the way of which we have given examples from 

 a periodical of large circulation and influence. — Field. 



ANALYSIS OF PHOSPHATES. 



Professor Jamieson, of the Aberdeen University, has re- 

 cently drawn attention to this subjet in a short pamphlet, 

 which is of such importance that we regret our inability 

 to reproduce it in e.vU-iiso. To the ignorant and eonfiib'ng 

 farmer the opening sentence is sufficiently surprising — 

 viz., that phosphatic manures do not, as a rule, contain 

 the proportion of phosphate represented by the analy.sis 

 by about 3 per cent. This error, it is stated, is owing to 

 chemists using inaccurate methods of analysis. Those who 

 do not u.se such methods suffer in their profession. Manure 

 merchants naturally enough prefer to employ those who 

 uniformly give high results. That farmers suffer through 

 these undidy high analyses is mideuiable. 3 per cent ex- 

 cess in bones alone would make a difference of £20,000 

 in the value of the Board of Trade returns; whilst on 

 other phosphates the difference would probably amount 

 to more than double this sum. 



Mr. Jamieson next appeals to chemists engaged in the 

 ngricultiu-al world to amend their practice, and proceeds 

 to give a striking illu.stration of the evil complained of. 

 The substance analysed was an undissolved mineral, chiefly 

 composed of calcic carbonate in a fine state of division, 

 remarkably uniform in quality, as proved by the analy.ses 

 of two samples. This substance was Analysed by six 

 chemists, described as mostly well known, and representatives 

 of manure analysts ; 



No. 1 found 10-80 phosphoric anhydride. 

 No. 2 „ 10-(i7 

 No. 3 „ 10-30 „ 



No. 4 „ 9-58 „ „ 



No. 5 ;, 9-18 „ „ 



No. 6 „ 8-62 „ „ 



Professor Jamieson, having above results sufplied to him, 

 found 7'50 pho.sphoric anhydride, being 1-12 per cent below 

 the lowest result, and 3-30 per cent lower than the highest, 

 a difference equal to /SO per cent phosphate of lime. 

 Naturally, Professor Janiieson's result was objected to, 

 and a second sample sent, which produced T'CS per cent, 

 which is practically identical. Professor Church was suggest- 

 ed by Professor Jamieson as referee : the sample was 

 divided into three portions, put into stoppered bottles, 

 and sealed up. As to this proposition Professor Jamieson 

 says : " The practice of sending reference samples to chemists 

 largely employed by the trade, and known to be ' high,' 

 i.-» clearly ab««-d. Professor Church, not being in either 

 of these positions, being well known in chemical science 

 circles, author of an excellent work on Agricultural Analysis^ 

 and known to be painstaking, his name I felt satisfied 

 would be .accepted as satisfactory." The merchants did 

 not agree to unite with Professor Jamieson in reference 

 to Professor Church, but the sample was sent, and the 

 following is his decision : '* The mean of six determin- 

 ations gave 806 as the percentiige of total phosphoric acid 

 in this manure. The extreme difference between any two of 

 these determinations was 0'31 per cent of phosphoric acid." 

 The extreme closeness of tliis result with that arrived 

 at by Professor .lamieson is, of course, evident : adopting it 

 for comparison, with No. 1 result, there is a difference 

 of 2-74, equal to 6 per cent of phosphate of lime, or more 

 than oue-third of the total phosphate present. The follow- 

 ing rem'^'dies are proposed for the consideration of chemists, 

 an.l it may bo mentioned here that no less tlian fourteen 



chemists, whose names are given in the appendix, have 

 signified their wihingness to perform analyses on the plin 

 liere suggested. 



After much consideration, I venture to propose — (ij 

 Uniform methods of analysis known to give strictlyaccurato 

 results, viz., tlie Molybdenum process, checked and con- . 

 firmed by the Uranium process. (2) Uniform methods of 

 expressing results, %iz., the percentage of the element phos- ' ' 

 phorus in the three forms of («) soluble phosphate of 

 lime, (/)) insoluble phosphate of lime, (r) phosphates pt 

 iron and alumina. (3) Pieference, in need, to a competent 

 chemist, whose engagements do not preclude his peiforming" 

 the analysis personally, who will state the number of ' 

 estimations made, the methods employed, and the ex- 

 treme variation. 



Professor Jamieson proceeds to describe and defend the 

 processes of analyses recommended, and he especially com- 

 mends the in-anium process, inasmuch as by it the phos- 

 phates of iron and alu-mina can be separated, and their 

 presence and proportion exhibited — a matter of considerable 

 importance, as, if not altogether useless, their manuring 

 value is much less than phosphates from other sources. 



As regards the second proposition as to expression of 

 results. Professor .Jamieson points out the importance of 

 terms which can be understood by the unscientific, and 

 the confusion that now prevails owing to different ex- 

 pressions for the same thmg. By .stating the phosphate 

 in terms of its essential element, "phosphorous," the utmost 

 possible simplicity is reached ; and there is the other 

 advantage, that by the simple factor of 5 the qu,antity is 

 converted into the other extreme of phosphate of lime. 



The folio-wing example is given : 



Phosphorous (as .soluble phosphate of lime), 5-51 ) '"9"''' ^"'^ 

 Phosphorous(as insoluble phosphate of lime),0-49 j-Pnosplate 



Phosphorous (as phosphate of iron and alumina) 0'61. 



It is also stated that the same principle might be adopted 

 as regards determinations of nitrogen, potassium, and 

 other elements of plant food. 



Professor Jamieson appeals to farmers through their 

 self-interest ; and if the evidence produced is unassailable, 

 and it is a fact that, owing to faulty methods of analysis, 

 from two to three per cent more phosphate is shown 

 than actually exists, and consequently paid for, then all 

 that is necessary is to publish the fact to insiure attention ; 

 and farmers have the matter in their own hands if they 

 follow out the suggestions now offered, which are — 



1. Each to ask his manure merchant to state the 

 ynaruntced percentage of phophorous present as phosphate 

 of lime (soluble or insoluble). 



2. To send the manure for analysis to a chemist known to 

 use the above method, 



Manm-e merchants are asked to aid the reform by in- 

 stucting their chemist to analyse by the molybdenum and 

 uraniam methods, and report the phosphates or phosphorous 

 in the three forms of (1) soluble and (2) insoluble phosj^hate 

 of lime, and (3) phosphates of iron and alumina. 



The following chemists approve of the proposals in the 

 pamphlet, and are willing to perform analyses on the 

 principles indicated thereon: 



London — Professor Church, F.I.C., Royston House, Kew; 

 Otto Hehner, F.I.C., 11, Billiter-square, E.O.; 0. T. Kingzett, 

 F.I.C., 17, Lansdowne-road, Tottenham, N. iXorwich — Frs. 

 Sutton, F.I.C, London-street. Cirencester — Professor Kinch, 

 F.I.C., Koyal College of Agricult\u-e ; Professor Prevost, 

 F.I.C, Royal College of Agriculture. Sah'shtirt/ — Professor 

 Munro, College of Agriculture, Downton.] Livtr^wol — A. M. 

 Graham, F.I.C, 3, Union-chambers, Union-street; Dr. J. 

 Campbell Brown, F.I.C, University College. Leeds — Thomas 

 Fairley, F.I.C, 16, East-parade. Ihdtlin—'Dv. Cameron, F.I.C, 

 15, Pembroke-road. Glasyou^-'E. Tatlock, F.I.C, 138. Bath- 

 street; Dr. Milne, F.I.C, 180, West Regent-street. Aberdeen 

 — T. Jamieson, F.I.C, 140, Union-street. — Field. 



REPORTS OF THE COLONIAL BOTANICAL 



GARDENS. 



The reports of the several Coloni.al Botanical Giirdcns 

 which we receive from time to time, though, of course, 

 largely occupied with ailministrative details that have little 

 interest t'oi; the home reader unfamiliar w-ith the pecaliiU' 



