CONVENTION OF ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL A{;RIC11LTURAL 



CHEMISTS, 1902. 



H. W. Lawson, 

 Ofticc of Experiment Sl<i(io7}s. 



The niiietccntli {uinual convention of the Association of OHiciul 

 Agricultural Chemists was held at Columbian nni\ ersity, Washing- 

 ton, D. C , October 2~i, l[)()'2. The meeting's were presided over bj' 

 the ])resident, H. J. Wheeler, of Rhode Island. In opening the con- 

 vention the president called attention to certain changes in the order 

 of business adopted at the last annual meeting and to the recognition 

 of the association by Congress in the appropriation act w^hich empow- 

 ers the Secretar}^ of Agricultui'e, in collaboration with the association 

 and other experts, to tix standards for food products, recpiired in the 

 execution of pure-food laws. 



All of the referees for the year were present and submitted reports, 

 and in addition several interesting papers were read. The change in 

 the policy of the association, taking effect at the present convention, 

 whereby matters not of "minor importance or of urgent necessity" are 

 to be I'cported upon by committees on recommendations of referees 

 for consideration at the next convention, apparently atfected to some 

 extent the character of the proceedings. The discussion of the 

 reports and papers was not extended, and no very important matters 

 were acted upon. The assignment of subjects to different connnit- 

 tees on recommendations of referees caused some confusion and 

 resulted in no consideration in committees during the convention of 

 some of the reports. About lOO chemists and visitors were in attend- 

 ance. Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, Charles W. 

 Needham, president of Columbian University, and Charles E. Munroe, 

 professor of chemistry in Columbian University, were present upon 

 invitation and addressed the convention. Secretary Wilson spoke of 

 the work of the Department along several lines. President Meedham 

 of the attraction of Washington for scientists and of the dignity and 

 value of the work of scientific men, and Professor Munroe of the 

 value of agreement upon methods of analysis by the association. 



PHOSPHORIC ACID. 



The report on phosphoric acid was read l)y the referee, C. H. flones. 

 Different methods for the determination of available phosphoric acid 



107 



