CHEMICAL DEPAKTMENT. 19 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR SELECTING SAMPLES EOR ANALYSIS. 



MANURES. 



Four or more bags are to he selected for sampling. Each hag is to he 

 emptied out separately on a clean floor, worked through with the spade, 

 and one spadeful taken out and set aside. The four or more spadefuls 

 thus set aside are to he mixed together until a uniform mixture is obtained. 

 Of this mixture one spadeful is to be taken, spread on paper, and still more 

 thoroughly mixed, any lumps which it may contain being broken down with 

 the hand. Of this mixture two samples of about a pound each shall be 

 taken by the purchaser or his agent, in the presence of the seller or his 

 agent or two witnesses, and these samples shall be taken as quickly as 

 possible and put into bottles or tin cases to prevent loss of moisture, and 

 having been labelled, shall be sealed by the samplers — one sample to be re- 

 tained by the association, and the other to be sent to the chemist for analysis. 



FEEDING STUFFS. 



Samples of feeding compounds are to be taken in a similar manner. 



Samples of cake are to be taken by selecting three cakes, breaking each 

 across the middle, and from the broken part breaking off a small piece. 

 The three pieces thus obtained shall be wrapped up and sealed by the 

 samplers, and sent for analysis as in the case of manures, and three dupli- 

 cate pieces similarly sealed shall be retained by the association. 



SOILS. 



Dig a little trench about two feet deep, exposing the soil and sub- 

 soil. Cut from the side of this trench a perpendicular section of the soil 

 down to the top of the subsoil, and about four inches wide. Extract it 

 carefully, and do not allow the subsoil to mix with it. A similar section of 

 subsoil immediately below this sample should be taken and preserved 

 separately. Five or six similarly drawn samples should be taken from 

 different parts of the field, and kept separate wliile being sent to the chemist, 

 that he may examine them individually before mixing in the laboratory. 



VEGETABLE PRODUCTS. 



Turnips, d:c., 20 to 30 carefully selected as fair average bulbs. 



Hay and straw must be sampled from a thin section cut across the whole 

 stack, and carefully mixed about ; about 20 lbs. weight is required for 

 analysis. 



Grain should be sampled like manures. 



WATERS. 



Samples of water for analysis should not be put into ordinary wine 

 bottles or stoneware jars stopi)ed with corks, as these usually vitiate the 

 samples. Clear glass Winchester (piarts with gla.ss stoj)pers should be used. 



Ca.ses containing these, chemically cleaned, are forwarded from the 

 laboratory on ajjplication. 



Well water should be allowed to run for some time before the sani])le it* 

 drawn. 



Standing water from cisterns, tanks, ponds, &.c., should be samj»led bv 

 immersing the bottle entirely under the water, and holding it, neck upwards, 

 at least four inches below the surlace. 



Spring or stream water should lie .sampled in dry weather, by immersion, 

 if possihU*, but if not deep enough for tliat purpose, a j)erfectly clean cup 

 or gla.>s should be u.sed for transferring the water to the l)oltle. 



While the bottle la being filled the sto]tj)er shouUl either be lield in the 

 hand by the toj) or laid on a clean piece ol" paper. 



Saujples should be desj)atched to the laboratory immaiuitdy alter being 

 taken. 



