REPORT OF TI1E CHEMltsT 



183 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



ANALYSIS. OF POTERIUM CANADENSE. 



Judged from the standpoint of composition, this plant compares favourably with 

 many forage grasses of recognized value. Cut at the stage of growth represented by 

 this sample — well grown but not in flower (cut May 22) — its hay would contain about 

 16 per cent protein, which must be considered very satisfactory. 



The feature to which objection might be urged is the somewhat high fibre-content. 

 This constituent would increase not only in amount but in indigestibility as the 

 season advances, and therefore early cutting is to be advised, when the crop is intended 

 either for the silo or to be made into hay. Besides this deterioration in food value, 

 there would no doubt be also a falling off in palatability. 



In response to our request for information regarding experience with this fodder 

 in the United States, Dr. A. C. True, Director, Office of Experiment Stations, Wash- 

 ington, D.C., writes : ' The presumption is the Poterium canadense has considerable 

 nutritive value, but we do not recall any experiments which have been made to deter- 

 mine its true value as a feedstuff, and we do not know of any one who can give you 

 the information desired.' 



1 Poterium canadense differs but little from P. sanguisorha, the common Burnet. 

 The latter at one time had quite a reputation for sheep pasturage, but it is now con- 

 sidered inferior to sainfoin.' 



FERTILIZING MATERIALS. 



'NATURAL FERTILIZER.' 



Under this name we received, during the early summer months of 1910, several 

 samples, both in the ground and unground condition, of a rock held to possess distinct 

 value as a fertilizer. Though our correspondents lived in various parts of the mari- 

 time provinces, it was evident that all the samples were originally from a deposit or 

 deposits in the neighbourhood of Dunvegan, Inverness county, Nova Scotia. Sales 

 of it, in the finely ground condition, were reported in many districts in Nova Scotia, 

 and a considerable quantity had been disposed of for fertilizer purposes in Prince 

 Edward Island. The prices quoted varied from $4 to $14 per ton — the price, presum- 

 ably, being largely influenced by the freight charges. As in certain localities this 

 material was receiving wide advertisement and the reports concerning its practical 

 value were conflicting, it was thought desirable to submit it to analysis and publish 

 the data for the benefit of maritime farmers. 



The rock as quarried is a dark gray, laminated shale, showing many small fossils; 

 it is fairly soft, and may be readily reduced to a powder. The analytical data from 

 the examination of three samples of this material are as follows: — 



