140 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF KARROO ASH. 



Potash 9.55 per cent. 



Lime 19.04 ,, 



Phosphorus pentoxide . . . . 2.72 ,, 



Towards the close of 191 1 the Civil Commissioners of the 

 Divisions of Victoria West, Laingsburg, Cathcart, Kingwilliams- 

 town, Humansdorp, and Malmesbury were each requested by 

 circular to obtain for analysis from some reliable farmer in their 

 respective Divisions 25 lb. samples of kraal manure, and also, 

 in districts where it was customary to convert the manure into 

 ash, 10 lb. samples of such ash, care being taken, in the collec- 

 tion of each sample, that it represented the bulk, and not merely 

 the surface of the kraal or heap. As a result of this circular 

 two samples of Karroo ash and seven of unburnt manure were 

 received in the Government Laboratory. The seven samples 

 of manure were as follows : — 



35. From Gauze Kraal, Victoria West Division. A very 



old and lumpy sample. 



36. From Rietvlei, Klein Zwartberg, Laingsburg Division. 



A good sample. 

 ^J. From The Towers, Darling, Malmesbury Division. 

 Sample mixed with stones and rubbish. 



38. Another sample from The Towers. Apparently very 



old, containing a large amount of stones and straw. 



39. From Zeekoe River, Humansdorp Division. Sample 



contained a fair amount of soil. 



40. From an old kraal belonging to a native in the Isinyoka 



Valley, Kingwilliamstowm Division. A very poor 

 sample, stated to be more than ten years old, and 

 apparently more a soil than a manure. 



41. A good sample from Winston, Cathcart Division. 



Only potash determinations were made in these manures, 

 the results of which are arranged in Table IL Nos. 37 and 38 

 contained respectively 28.2 and 21.5 per cent, of stones larger 

 than I mm. diameter. These two fertilisers were therefore 

 sifted prior to determining the potash which they contained. 

 The percentages of potash in the sifted samples were: — 



No 37 1.64 



No. 38 2.76 



On the whole, judging from their physical appearance, this 

 last set of samples cannot fairly be regarded as representative, 

 and the determinations made would therefore afford only a 

 vague idea of the general composition of kraal manures, hence 

 the fuller investigation that had been hoped for still awaits per- 

 formance. 



The two samples of Karroo ash received, together with the 

 last lot of kraal manures, were : — 



42. A well-burnt grey ash from Winston. • Cathcart 



Division. 



43. A good sample of ash. with little sand, from Ganze 



Kraal, Victoria West Division. 



In these, too, only potash was determined. 



