DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY 257 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



muck. Marl, which is carbonate of lime, may be recognized by the brisk effervescence 

 set up on the addition of acid; there is little or no effervescence from the other deposit 

 named. 



LOBSTER REFUSE. 



No. 13911^. — This waste product from a lobster cannery in Nova Scotia was 

 received in the form of a coarse powder. Our correspondent writes, ' This material 

 contains both body and shell of the lobster. We have dried it and ground it in a 

 simple way in order to get it into condition for handling. We should be glad to 

 have a report as to its fertilizing value. As received, the product was quite sweet 

 and in excellent condition for application to the soil. 



Analysis. 



Per cent. 



Moisture 5-71 



Nitrogen 4-70 



Phosphoric acid*.... 2-72 



Lime (present as carbonate, phosphate, etc.) 20-90 



It is quite evident that this material has a very considerable fertilizing value, 

 for from present results one ton would contain 94 pounds nitrogen and 54 pounds 

 phosphoric acid. The nitrogen is not present in an immediately available form, but 

 in mellow, warm and moist soils it would no doubt be readily set free in a condition 

 usable by crops. Similarly, the phosphoric acid is not of immediate value to crops, 

 but the ready 'decomposition of waste in the soil would quickly liberate it in more or 

 less easily assimilable forms. Indeed, it might be expected to act as quick and 

 forcing manure, provided the soil is not too heavy and the moisture and temperature 

 conditions are favourable. It should also be valuable in the making of composts. 



As will be seen, it is essentially a nitrogenous fertilizer and in consequence its 

 use, in many cases, would have to be supplemented by an application of the mineral 

 elements — phosphoric acid and potash — for the best results. This could be accom- 

 plished by the addition of superphosphate and muriate or sulphate of potash — the 

 proportions being dictated by the character of the soil and the nature of the crop to 

 be fertilized. 



The analysis in 1897 of two somewhat similar samples of dried lobster refuse 

 showed, on a 10 per cent moisture basis : — 



A. B. 



Per cent. Per cent. 



Nitrogen 5-2 3-2 



Phosphoric acid 2-8 3-4 



These results indicate a certain variableness in composition, which, considering 

 the nature of the refuse, is easily understood — the larger the proportion of ' bodies ' 

 the more nitrogeneous the waste, whereas a preponderance of tails, claws and shells 

 would render it more distinctly phosphatic in character. 



DOG FISH SCRAP. 



The dog fish, a species of shark, by reason of its voraciousness and its abundance 

 in Atlantic waters, has done great injury to the cod, haddock and other fisheries on 

 the eastern coast. To keep it in check and thus protect the fisheries, the Government 

 some years ago offered a bounty for the capture of this pest and established a reduc- 

 tion works (at Canso, N.S., and Shippigan, N.B.) wherein the fish could be utilized 



* Equal to 5-72 per cent phosphate of lime. 

 16—17 



