Jan. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 23 



The following examples of earth eaten or licked by stock were found to con- 

 tain carbonate of lime, and it is doubtless owing to the lack of this substance in 

 the soils of the neighbourhood that such calcareous earth comes to be used as a 

 lick One sample (Lab. No. M 620.3) comes from Mount Nonibi, Mullaley. 

 It is reported that sheep take to licking the banks of the creek wherever 

 this earth is found. It was found to contain : — 



Carbonate of lime (CaCOs) ... ... ... 71 11 per cent. 



Carbonate of soda (NajCO^) ... ... ... O'S'2 ,, 



Common salt (NaCl) 101* ,, 



The remainder consists of sand and clay ; the earth has a weak alkaline 



reaction and a saline taste. The other sample (Lab. Nc. 1011), taken from 



'' lickholes " at Carroll, of which a fairly complete analysis was made, 



was analysed as follows : — 



Moisture and volatile matter ... ... ... 14'6 percent. 



Insoluble matter ... ... ... . ... 55"2 ,, 



Calcium carbonate ... ... ... '24"3 ,, 



Sodium chloride ... ... ... ... ... trace 



Potash ... ... ... ... ... trace 



Magnesia ... .. ... .. ... ... 10 ,, 



Phosphoric acid ... ... ... ... ... trace 



Oxides of iron and alumina .. ... ... 5 6 ,, 



100-7 

 With the exception of the last two, which are samples of calcareous earth 

 or impure limestone, the samples are for the most part of a sticky, greasy 

 feel to the tongue, at)d it is this property that no doubt renders them 

 attractive apart from the small proportion of saline or purgative substances 

 they contain. In connection with this matter, it may be of interest to 

 refer to an analysis of so-called " Edible Earth " from Fiji, (see Journal 

 Royal Society of N.S.W. , Vol, 33, p. 224). This eartli is eaten by the 

 natives, especially by the women, and on analysis ]u-oved to be silicate of 

 alumina (kaolinite) of the composition AI.2O3 (SiO-j)? (H20)2 with about 7'6 

 per cent, ferric oxide as mechanical impurity. It, therefore, contains nothing 

 that can exert any medicinal action or feeding value, and it must owe its 

 popularity to the peculiar feel and taste of this unctuous clay. 



It is to be noted that earth-eaters commonly suffer from intestinal worms, 

 and it would be of interest to observe whether the same effect is produced in 

 the case of stock licking such clayey deposits. 



The analyses quoted above were carried out by different officei's of the 

 Chemist's Branch, Department of Agriculture. 



Sulphate or Carbonate ? 



A CORRESPONDENT who proposed to make up from one of the Department's 

 formula? a manure mixture for his passion fruit vines, inquired if he might 

 safely substitute carbonate of lime for the gypsum prescribed. He was 

 advised that if such substitution was made the carbonate of lime would be 

 better applied separately, about two to three weeks beforehand. While it 

 had not the same strong action on sulphate of ammonia as '^lacked lime, 

 it liad a decided action, especially if warm. It was on this account that 

 .sulphate of lime was recommended for mixing. 



