546 Quarterly RejJort of tlie Chemical Committee. 



enclosed report from their consulting chemist, Dr. Voelcker, on the samples of 

 guano sent to the Council by the Secretary of State. 



" The Council desire to call the attention of the Secretary of State to the 

 great difference in the samples submitted, and the varying iiroportions of 

 ammonia and phosphates contained in them. British agriculturists have for 

 some years had to complain that all the guano delivered by the Peruvian 

 Government has been sold by their agents at an uniform price, irrespective of 

 its value as determined by analysis, and the Council take this opportunity of 

 respectfully urging upon the Secretary of State the desirability of impressing 

 upon the Peruvian Government the necessity of adopting a standard analysis 

 for Peruvian guano, and regulating the price of the guano delivered in propor- 

 tion to this standard analysis. 



" The Council beg to tender their cordial thanks to the Secretary of State 

 for his courtesy in sending to the Council a communication of so much interest 

 at the present moment to the agricultural community. 



" I have the honour to be, my Lord, 



" Your most obedient servant, 

 (Signed) " Cathcaut."] 



XXIII. — Quarterly Rej)ort of the Chemical Committee, 

 June 1874. 



The Committee have to report that Dr. Voelcker has submitted 

 to them the follow^ing cases of inferior manures which have been 

 sent to him for analysis during the past quarter : — 



The first three cases reported, again show the advantage of 

 testing manures by independent analysis, in order to ascertain 

 whether they are of equal quality with the analyses furnished by 

 the vendors — more especially in cases where the mixture is sold 

 as special manure prepared for some particular purpose. 



1. A sample of barley manure was sent by Mr. Wv G. Duncan, 

 of Bradwell, Stony Stratford, who had bought it of an agent at 

 8/. 10s. per ton. Dr. Voelcker reported as follows : — 



" Analytical Laboratory, 11, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, E.G., 

 ""Loudon, March 9, 1874. 



" Sir, — I beg to enclose a copy of an analysis of the sample of barlej'' 

 manure which you sent me a short time ago. The manure is too wet to be 

 readily applied to the land. I do not put a precise money value upon manures 

 which are sent me for analysis ; but may observe, in a general way, that a 

 manure containing the constituents mentioned in the enclosed copy of analysis, 

 and in the same j)roportions, can be bought in most places at about 6^. 10s, 

 per ton. 



" Believe me, yours faithfully, 



" Augustus Voelcker. 



" W. G. Duncan, Esq." 



