18 PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 



applied not later than three weeks after the time of sowing, it seemed evident that 

 much advantage would have residted from that method of manuring, and next year, 

 when the station is under oats, the experiment will again be tried, when it is to be 

 hoped the conditions will be more favourable. The results of the barley crop will be 

 given in the Transactions, along with the analysis of the previous turnip crop, which 

 is just approaching completion. 



During the past year ten local analytical associations have sent in returns of their 

 analyses for the purpose of obtaining the Society's grant, and its aid in furtherance of 

 the objects they have in view. Twelve associations applied for the grant last year 

 and thirteen the year before. There is thus a slight falling off in the number of 

 associations who take advantage of the Society's co-operation. There is no doubt that 

 the cause of this diminution is the difficulty which some associations have experienced 

 in strictly adhering to the Society's regulations. Last year's experience made it 

 evident that unless these regulations were thoroughly carried out very little good could 

 be done by the Society's scheme, and the secretaries of the associations were informed 

 that the regulations would thereafter be strictly enforced. Strict adherence to the 

 Society's regulations requires increased care on the part of every member of an associa- 

 tion who is having analyses made for him, and also entails considerable trouble on 

 the secretary, and it is gratifying to find that so many have been able to conform to 

 the regulations this time. In the case of associations in whose administration some 

 looseness prevails, there may be some difficulty in comphang with all the details of 

 the Society's scheme, and they may prefer to lose the grant rather than be at the 

 trouble of observing the rules required for obtaining it. I hoj)e that if there are any 

 associations so minded, they will reconsider their position, and come to see that the 

 method of procedure required by the Society is founded on fairness, and is not more 

 troublesome than is necessary to secure the objects for which such associations exist. 

 There is no doubt that considerable injustice and misrepresentation have occurred in 

 the past from the defective way in which the work of associations has been carried on, 

 and it is to the interest of sellers as well as buyers to see that the Society's regulations 

 afi"ecting analytical associations are faithfully carried out. 



The Society's scheme has now been in operation for three years, and from the 

 statistics now before us we are able to see how far it has been successful. The object 

 the Society has in view in co-operating with analytical associations is not only to lessen 

 the expense of analj^sis by the bestowal of a grant, but to guide the farmer to a jDroper 

 appreciation of the true value of manures, to protect him as far as he will be protected 

 against the misfortune of purchasing inferior and sham materials, to drive fraudulent 

 dealers out of the market, and to protect the interests of merchants who are supplying 

 the wants of the farmer in a fair and honest way. That the Society's liberality has 

 not been taken advantage of to anything like the full extent was perhaps inevitable ; 

 but there is abundant evidence that those who have listened to the advice aud 

 accepted the direction of the chemical department have derived much benefit from 

 the fact. At the general meeting in January, two years ago, while criticising the 

 returns made by the associations, it was pointed out that nearly one-third of the 

 manures supplied were under their giiarantees, and that many were deficient to an 

 alarming extent. Many manures were sold without a sufficient guarantee, and also 

 under names which were misleading, as they did not represent their true character, and 

 chief among these were dissolved bones and special manures. Regarding the latter, 

 farmers were warned of the risks they ran in ascribing special value to manures sold 

 under special names, often at very high prices. A comparison of the number of 

 manures of various kinds bought by the associations during the last three years shows 

 that farmers have profited by the advice. 



Bones 



Dissolved bones 

 Superphosphate 

 Peruvian guano 

 Tchaboe guano 

 Dissolved guano 

 Fish Manures 

 Ground phosphates 

 Turnip manures 

 Potato manures 

 Miscellaneous 

 Nitrate of Soda 

 Potash salts 

 Linseed cake 

 Other cakes . . . 



221 202 150 



