Quarterly Report of the Chemical Committee. 549 



3. Soon afterwards, on April 22, Dr. Voelcker sent the fol- 

 lowing' report on a manure, invoiced as " Best Superphosphate of 

 Lime," to Mr. Duncan, at 5/. 10s. per ton, and guaranteed by the 

 makers (the same firm as in the " Phosphatic Cereal Manure 

 case") to contain 28 per cent, of phosphates, in soluble form, and 

 a, small percentage of ammonia : — 



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

 " London, April 22, 1874. 



" Dear Sir, — I have the pleasure of enclosing a copy of an analysis of the 

 •sample of superphosphate which you sent me a short time ago. I notice iu 

 the circular of Messrs. * * * their best superphosphate is stated to contain 

 28 per cent, of phosphates in a soluble form, and a small percentage of 

 •ammonia. I find, however, only 19J per cent, of soluble jjliosphate, and the 

 •small percentage of ammonia really amounts to merely a trace. This super- 

 phosphate would be worth bl. 10s. if it contained 28 per cent, of soluble 

 phosphate ; but as the insoluble phosphates in it occur as mineral, they are 

 not worth much to the farmer, and iu my judgment the sample of manure 

 -svhich you sent me is worth about 25s. less per ton than Messrs. * * * best 

 superphosphate guaranteed to contain 28 per cent, of soluble phosphate. 



" Yours faithfully, 



" Augustus Voelckek. 



" G. W. Duncan, Esq." 



Composition of a Sample of Super plwspliate, sent hy Mr. W. G. Duncan, 



Bradwell, Stony Strafford. 



Moisture 18-60 



Water of combination and organic matter 9 * 32 



Bi-phosphate of lime (mono-basic phosphate of lime) .. 12*29 

 Equal to bone phosphate (tri-basic ishosphate of lime) 

 rendered soluble by acid (19 '25). 



Insoluble phosphates 10 ' 50 



Sulphate of lime t A-^-fiQ 



Alkaline salts and magnesia j 



Insoluble siliceous matter 5*40 



100-00 



Mr. Duncan having thereupon communicated again with the 

 makers, received from them a reply, dated April 29, and con- 

 taining the following statement : — 



" Our firm has been too long established, and has for too many years held 

 •an honourable reputation, for us to condescend to any action which was not 

 I^erfectly straightforward, and if through any misfortune we get into a diffi- 

 'culty, we are always ready and anxious to do what is right to get out of it. 

 We will not again refer to the matter of the ' Cereal ' Manure, as Mr. * * * 

 told you just the simple truth about the way in which the mischief occurred, 

 .and we have nothing to add to what he stated, except to express our unfeigned 

 regret that ever that parcel left our establishment. 



" And now as regards the superi^hosphate. This was made, as we represent, 

 from the very best materials, and as we believe in the best manner. The 

 ■difibrence, however, between the statement of its composition in our circular 

 ^nd in Dr, Voelcker's analysis, arises mainly from two circumstances — (1). 



