REPORT OF THE CHEMIST 155 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Valuing the nitrogen at 10c. per lb. and the phosphoric acid at 5c. per lb., one 

 ton of fresli squid would be worth $4.25 as a fertilizer. 



Caplin. — A small fish, often occurring in immense shoals in the Gulf of the St. 

 Lawrence and on the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador. ' It is much used by the 

 poorer classes ', writes a correspondent in Newfoundland, ' as an article of food and also 

 as a food for pigs and dogs — about 1,500,000 barrels being salted and dried for the 

 latter purposes.' 



Analysis of (salted and dried) Caplin. 



Water 19-13 



Organic matter* 68 • 38 



Ash (including salt) 12-49 



100-00 



Per cent. Pounds per ton. 



Nitrogen 8-09 1618 



Phosphoric acid 2-91 59-2 



The fertilizing value of the salted and dried fish per ton is $19.14. Assuming the 

 caplin as caught and used as a fertilizer to contain 80 per cent water, then the manurial 

 value of such fish would be $4.77 per ton. 



Mr. Lawton further writes : ' The majority of farmers make composts of caplin and 

 squid with clay ; but those who have not facilities for getting clay lay the caplin 

 between the potato stalks and ' earth up '. Turf is used with caplin in making compost ; 

 but not with squid, as it will not decay rapidly in turf.' 



The foregoing analyses show that both caplin and squid are agriculturally valuable 

 as sources of nitrogen and phosphoric acid. They, however, require the addition of some 

 form of potash to make them a complete fertilizer. Wood ashes, muriate of potash, 

 sulphate of potash, and kainite are all potash fertilizers and their application to the soil 

 in conjunction with caplin or squid would no doubt enhance the effect of these 'fish' 

 manures. 



PEATS. 



Nova Scotia, Broohjleld, Queen's County. Forwarded by Mr. Franklyn McLeod : 



No. 1. — Surface, moss (Sphagnum). A clean bright sample. 



No. 2. — From a depth of 3 feet. Peat. Apparently of excellent quality. 



No. 3. — From a depth of 6 feet. Peat. Somewhat darker and more compact than 

 No. 2. ^ 



Analysis of air-dried Samples. 



No. 1. 



Moisture 7-62 



Organic matter 90 - 89 



Ash 1-49 



100-00 



Nitrogen 1510 0-834 1052 



o 



^Containing 13 71 per cent fat. 



