22 Fish Manures. 



the fish when freed from oil and dried, the following quantities e€ 

 ammonia and phosphoric acid : — 



Ammonia, — 12£"P 0Un ds at 14 cents, $1.75 



Phosphoric, acid, — lis pounds at 4£ cents,.. 0*51 



$2-26 



The matter thus prepared would have a value of $45.20 the ton,, 

 agreeing closely with that which we have calculated for the ma- 

 nure manufactured from sardines in France, in which the quantity 

 of ammonia is somewhat greater, and the phosphoric acid less, 

 giving it a value of $47 the ton. 



Prof. George EL Cook of New Jersey, in an analysis of the men- 

 kadden, obtained from 100 parts of the dried fish, 16*7 parts of 

 oil, besides 616 of azotized matters yielding 9-28 parts of ammonia,, 

 and 21*7 of inorganic matters, etc., containing 7*78 of phosphoric 

 acid.* If we deduct the oil, we shall have for 100 parts of the 

 fish, according to this analysis, 11.2 of ammonia, and 9'S of phos- 

 phoric acid. 



By comparing these figures with the results calculated for the- 

 animal portion of Mr. Bruce^s manures, we find : 



Ammonia. Phosphoric acid ; 



Manure from sardines (Payen), 14-5. 7*0 



Dried menhadden (Cooke), 11*2 9-3 



Manures by Mr. Bruce 3-75 3-4 



" " (excluding shale),.. 12-5. 11*3 



The proportion of phosphates is of course greater in the more bony 

 fishes. In the manure of Mr. Bruce there are doubtless small amounts 

 of phosphoric acid and ammonia, derived from the shale and the- 

 products of its distillation ;. but thesedo not however warrant the in- 

 troduction of an inert material which reduces more than two-thirds 

 the commercial value of the manure. The results which we have 

 given clearly show that by the application ef a process similar to- 

 that now applied in Franee and in Newfoundland, which consists 

 in cooking the fish, pressing it to extract the oil and water, drying 

 by artificial heat, and brin«ling it to powder, it is easy to prepare 

 a concentrated manure, whose value, as a source of phosphoric 

 acid and ammonia, will be in round numbers, about $40 the ton. 



* Report of the Geological Survey of New Jersey for 1856, p. 93.. 



