162 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



of its oil. When unmixed with other fish offal, it is not rich in phosphoric acid and 

 naturally it does not contain any potash. But these elements can be supplied by the 

 admixture of various materials (superphosphate, muriate of potash, &c.), as indicated 

 by the formulae given on the preceding page and thus a complete and effective ferti- 

 lizer prepared. 



TOBACCO REFUSE. 



In 1903 we reported on certain samples of tobacco stems and tobacco dust, show- 

 ing that these waste products had a high fertilizing value by reason of the nitrogen 

 and phosphoric acid they contain. Two samples forwarded by Wra. Ewing & Co., 

 Montreal^ have received our attention during the past year. The results are as fol- 

 lows : — 



Both materials evidently possess fertilizing qualities of considerable value. In 

 nitrogen and phosphoric acid the differences are not large, but it will be noticed that d 

 in potash the ' stems ' are much richer than the ' dust.' Calculated to pounds per 

 ton we obtain the following figures : — 



Tobacco stems. Tobacco dust. 

 Per ton. Per ton. 



Nitrogen 44-4 lbs. 59-0 lbs. 



Phosphoric acid 10-G " 9-8 " 



Potash 150-4 " 54-6 " 



Tobacco waste is frequently used for insecticidal purposes, either dry, in the form 

 of a decoction, or for fumigation, and the value of any particular sample for such 

 use will depend almost entirely on the proportions of nicotine it contains. The 

 samples under discussion yielded data as follows : — 



Tobacco stems -67 per cent nicotine. 



Tobacco dust 1-03 " " 



TOBACCO ASHES. 



This fertilizer was forwarded for analysis and report from the McDonald College, 

 Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que. It was stated to be ashes from a furnace in which to- 

 bacco waste was burnt. Its comparative purity and very high value for furnishing 

 potash are obvious from the analytical data: 



Potash 30-69 per cent. 



Phosphoric acid 4-59 " 



Valuing the potash at 6c. per lb. and the phosphoric acid at, say, 4c. per lb., we 

 obtain a value per ton of $35.28. 



