VALUE OF FISH SCRAPS. 315 



Valuation per ton of 2,000 pounds. 



152.6 pounds phosphoric acid, $9 16 



167.0 " nitrogen in organic matter, . . . . 41 75 



$50 91 



This material was handed to rae for a special examination 

 regarding its per cent, of nitrogen. Tlie color, mechanical 

 condition and chemical composition of the samples tested left 

 no doubt about its superior fitness for fertilization. Mr. 

 D. A. Horton, of North Hadley, had produced this guano by 

 drying fish scraps suflSciently to enable their thorough grind- 

 ing in a common mill to a fine, uniform powder of a light 

 brown color. 



lY. — Dried Fish Scraps from Booth Bay, Maine. 



Moisture at 100°-110° C, 10.00 per cent. 



Organic matter, 70.75 '.' 



Asb-constituents, , 18.25 " 



Phosphoric acid in ash, 8.46 " 



Nitrogen in organic matter, 8.14 " 



Valuation per ton of 2,000 x>ounds. 



169.20 pounds of phosplioric acid, $10 15 



162.80 " of nitrogen, 40 70 



$50 85 



The fish mass which served for this analysis had been col- 

 lected by me on a late excursion to Booth Bay Harbor, Maine, 

 for the purpose of studying the fish-rendering business in that 

 locality. The adjoining towns, Booth Bay and Bristol, alone 

 produced, according to the statements of Hon. S. L. Goodale, 

 of Saco, daring the year 1873, not less than 1,000,000 gal- 

 lons of oil and 20,000 tons of fish scraps. The sample pre- 

 viously reported was obtained at the chemical works under 

 control of Mr. Goodale, where at that period large quantities 

 of fresh scraps were delivered direct from the press of an ad- 

 joining fish-rendering establishment. In adopting this course, 

 I felt confident of having secured a fair chance to ascertain 

 on a reliable material the composition of well-rendered and 

 carefully-dried menhaden fish. About one-third (3.3 parts) 

 of the entire amount of phosphoric acid proved to be soluble 



