No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 225 



REPORT OP THE) MINIi:RALOGIST. 



Bv Col. Hbnry C. Dxmming, Harrisburj, Pa. 



The work of the Mineralogist of your Board during the year 1902 

 was varied and interesting. Much of the time was taken up in 

 other states and territories, but part of this was for the purpose 

 of helping our own Commonwealth in the very important matter 

 of water filtration. 



There are three subjects of importance to be reported upon at 

 this time. Some of you may remember the report last year upon 

 soil analysis of every field of a 550-acre farm near Harrisburg. 

 Acting on that report, the owner put a special plot of thirty-five 

 acres in wheat, first adding two of the five constituents recom- 

 mended. The result was an increase in the crop of seventeen 

 bushels of wheat to the acre, and the largest and solidest heads of 

 wheat ever seen in this part of the State. The cost of the two 

 constituents was equal to about five bushels of wheat to the acre, 

 leaving a net gain of* twelve bushels, or a total net gain of 420 

 bushels to the thirty-five acres. 



Many fires take place in the country and in towns due to "defective 

 flues." A careful investigation during the year convinces me that 

 the flues and chimneys were not apparently defective when the 

 dwellings were built, but became so by reason of the inferior sand 

 or lime used in the mortar. Of all the states of the Union, Penn- 

 sylvania produces the best sand and lime for building purposes, and 

 it has become almost criminal that such inferior stuff is allowed 

 to take their place. An analysis of sand used in one of Pennsyl- 

 vania's chief cities gave nearly 20 per cent, organic matter, such 

 as decayed vegetation, animal fats, etc., and some lime proved to 

 be over one-fourth foreign matter. To test the properties of such 

 materials, we had quantities of mortar and plastering made up in 

 my laboratory, and placed between bricks and on walls. We found 

 that fire would find its way through such mortar in the course of 

 a few hours, and that the plastered walls were not only damp in 

 damp weather, but sometimes fairly soggy; that, furthermore, they 

 were porous and unhealthy — in some instances containing infectious 

 germs. The only remedy is the using of best qualities of silica 

 sand and limestone running highest in carbonate of lime. 



