342 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



4 



barn-manure causes usually a most serious depreciation of 

 the contents of the vaults. The wasteful practice adopted 

 in our large cities with regard to the disposition of the human 

 excretion is not unfrequently the outgrowth of considerations 

 which have largely lost their importance in consequence of 

 the accumulated experience elsewhere. An intelligent solu- 

 tion of the sewage question in our large cities touches the 

 pecuniary interest of every farmer. However intricate the 

 various considerations which deserve careful attention may 

 render the problem, the sewage question cannot be con- 

 sidered satisfactorily settled without a due recognition of the 

 agricultural interests of the country. 



C. A. GOESSMAKN, 



State Inspector of Fertilizers. 

 Amherst, Mass., Feb. 2, 1878. 



APPENDIX. 



COMPOSITION OF SOME COMPOUNDS IN FERTILIZERS. 



One hundred parts of — 



Nitric acid contain 26 parts of nitrogen. 



Ammonia contain 82.35 parts of nitrogen. 



Pure nitrate of potassa (saltpetre) contain 53.4 parts of nitric acid 

 and 46.6 parts of potassium oxide. 



Pure nitrate of soda (Chili saltpetre) contain 63.25 parts of nitric 

 acid. 



Chloride of potassium contain 52.4 parts of potassium, 63.1 parts 

 of potassium oxide, and 47.6 parts of chlorine. 



Pure sulphate of potassa contain 54.9 parts of potassium oxide and 

 46 parts of sulphuric acid. 



Bone phosphate (tricalcic phosphate) contain 46 parts of phos- 

 phoric acid and 54 parts of calcium oxide (lime). 



Calcined gypsum contain 41 parts of calcium oxide (lime) and 59 

 parts of sulphuric acid. 



Uncalcined pure gypsum contain 32.5 parts of calcium oxide (lime), 

 46.5 parts of suli)huric acid, and 21 parts of water. 



Carbonate of lime contain 56 parts of calcium oxide (lime) and 44 

 parts of carbonic acid. 



Sulphate of magnesia (free of water) contain 33.3 per cent of mag- 

 nesium oxide (magnesia) and 66.6 per cent of sulphuric acid. 



The Report was accepted. 



