REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



To the Director of the Cornell University Agricultural Exper'i- 

 inent Station : 



Sir.— The work of the Chemical Department during the past 

 year has been largely along the lines of the tliree previous years. 

 The investigation of evaporation of water from soils under different 

 methods of cultivation was continued during the summer of 1899, 

 and is still in progress. This work, wliich is being done in connec- 

 tion with the Agricultural Department, requires determinations of 

 soil moisture. 



During the fall months the work on sugar beets was continued 

 with special reference to the sugar content and purity of certain 

 standard varieties. The subject of insecticides received attention 

 and a number of samples of Paris green and substitutes for Paris 

 green have been examined. 



Some studies of the strawberry soils of Oswego County have been 

 started. Several large experiments have been placed there by the 

 Departments of Horticulture and Chemistry, and it is hoped that 

 some light may be had on the fertilizer requirements of the straw- 

 berry plant. Complete analyses of these soils are in progress. 



The work on starches for tlie A. O. A. C. has been taken up and 

 also an investigation of the pentosans. 



The following table shows the substances that have been analyzed 



wholly or in parts : 



Samples. 



Sugar beets 200 



Soils 129 



Feeds (food analysis) 26 



Feeds (fertilizer analysis) 22 



Gypsum 6 



Manures 4 



Commercial fertilizers 6 



XV 



