163 



be said to vary from 18 cents per pound in salts of ammonia and nitrates to 5 

 cents per pound in wool waste, hair, &c. Although these may be considered trade 

 values, yet in a great measure they i-epresent their relative worth to the farmer. 

 The nitrogen in the first-named articles is immediately available, whereas in hair, 

 wool and the like, a fermentation process must ensue, continuing over a considerable 

 length of time, before the nitrogen is converted into such a soluble condition that 

 plants can make use of it. Mucks rank with the latter rather than with 1he former 

 class, as fei-mentation is necessary to obtain its full benefit. If the nitrogen in muck 

 be assigned an average value of 7 cents per pound (the degree of fermentation or 

 decay that has taken place will affect its worth for present results), one ton of the 

 material containing 33 lbs. of nitrogen would be worth $2.31, and a sample possess- 

 ing 50 lbs. to the ton, $3.50, It is plain, therefore, that a valuable nitrogenous 

 fertilizer is to be found in the deposit of many of our swamps. 



EEL GEASS (Zoster a marina). 



A sample of this material has been received from Mr. William Mackay, of 

 Haliburton Bridge, Pictou, Nova Scotia, who writes that it grows in immense 

 quantities in all the harbours and shallow bays on the north shore of Nova Scotia 

 and New Brunswick. He further says that it is generally supposed to be useless as a 

 manure and allowed to go to waste, excepting small quantities used for banking 

 houses in the autumn. If the dry substance contained 1 per cent of nitrogen, Mr. 

 Mackay thought it would be worth hauling. 



The material as received had been dried with a gentle heat. Its analysis 

 furnished the following figures : — 



Per cent. 



Total ash, or mineral matter 21-90 



Phosphoric acid (in ash, 1-80 per cent) 0-41 



Potash (in ash, 13-28 per cent). ..- 2-90 



Nitrogen, in organic matter 1-24 



If without great expense this substance can be procured — preferably of course 

 in the dry condition — I consider it would prove a valuable fertilizer. It contains 

 notable quantities of the three chief constituents of plant food — potash, phosphoric 

 acid and nitrogen. Before application to the soil it should be fermented. In its dry, 

 hard condition it might lie in the soil undecomposed for a very long time. If suit- 

 able for bedding, this manner of use would be most profitable ; but in any case it should 

 be first mixed with some material that would cause its decay. In this process of 

 composting the elements of plant food are set free in an easily assimilable form. 



SPENT TAN BAEK. 



This was also forwarded by Mr. Mackay, who stated that a tannery in the neigh- 

 bourhood ran 4,000 to 5,000 tons of the substance annually into a cove, as worthless. 

 It is hemlock bark after the "tan" has been exti-acted, and is essentiaHy woody fibre. 

 On analysis it was found to possess -167 per cent of nitrogen. As a fertilizer, I am 

 of the opinion that this material is almost valueless. It contains very little plant 

 food, and is of a nature that would enable it for a long time to resist decay. 



AMMONIACAL GAS LIQUOE. 



In the destructive distillation of coal for the manufacture of illuminating gas a 

 numbei" of bye-products are formed, prominent among which is the so-called 

 ammoniacal liquor. It contains varying amounts of ammonia (according to the 

 nature of coal used and the process of condensation and purification in vogue), and 

 also of cei-tain other tarry and volatile substances. 



Viewing it as a fertilizer, we may consider it as a dilute solution of ammonia 

 containing certain impurities more or less harmful to vegetation — notably sulphur 

 compounds. 



7f— 11^ 



