Refort of the Cheviist for Ayriculture. 211 



REPORT OF THE CHEMIST FOR AGRICULTURE. 



F. J. Hou-ell, Fh. D. 



The work of the bi'iuich in its thi'ee spheres of activity — aiialytifal 

 exp'erimeutal and educational — has shown deveIo])ments during the 

 past year of a very satisfactory nature. The analytical work has 

 already up to a certain date received consideration in a re})ort called 

 for specially by the Director. The many demands being made upon 

 the laboratory, and the totally inade([uate remuneration made to the 

 staff, appeared to necessitate greater ))ublicity of the operations of the 

 laboratory. A consideration of the number, the nature and the 

 importance of the lines of investigation dealt with in the present report 

 will indicate the extent of the operations of the branch and suggest, I 

 ho])e, the desirability of affording every support for legitimate ex])ansion. 



The Analytical Work. 



The analytical operations, in which my Senior Analyst, Mr. Scott, 

 exercises direct supervisory powers, embrace the work of three 

 departments, those of Lands, Agriculture and Water Su])ply. As in 

 each department there is evidence of a distinct service to be rendered 

 by the investigations and the advice of the Chemist, it may be accepted 

 that the demands of each of these departments will increase from year 

 to year. The large areas of land of low natural fertility, which have 

 been regarded in the past as practically useless for agricultural 

 purposes, give promise under suitable treatment of l)eing convertible 

 into profitable holdings by the investigations and advice of the 

 Chemist, and the field for a'ctivity in this direction seems a very wide 

 one. The very prominent attention being given in Victoria to all 

 matters aff'ecting the health of the peo])le, will not bmg tolerate a 

 system of country water supplies without some attempt at either a 

 wholesale or household system of ])urilication. With a more general 

 recognition of the necessity for bringing all these supplies under 

 periodic chemical and bacteriological examination, there must l:)e in this 

 direction also a great expansion in the work of the Chemist to a Water 

 Supply Department. In the matter of agriculture the field for 

 chemical activity is a limitless one. I shall not attempt to enumerate 

 the various directions in which chemical knowledge may assist farm 

 practice, but will deal only with work actually carried out during the 

 past year. The following were the samples received for analysis : — 



LIST OF SAMPLES RECEIVED FOR ANALYSIS. 



1902-8. 



Manures . . . . . . . . • • ^(i!) 



Soils .. .. .. .. .. 27S 



Waters . . . . . . . . . . 144 



Vegetable Products . . . . ; • • •'ItJS 



Dairy and other Animal Products .. .. .. HO 



Mineral Deposits considered of Agricultural value .. 17 



Miscellaneous . . . . . . . • •>'» 



1.247 



The beet analysed at the Maffra Factory is not iiicltidecl in this total. 



