Annual Report for 1912 of the Consulting Chemist. 281 



The price paid was 'M. lO.s-. per ton, carriage paid in 2 ton 

 lots, 5 per cent, discount being allowed if payment was made 

 within one month after delivei-y. To this was added the 

 significant remark that "a commission of 12.s. tirf. will be 

 paid for every ton delivered." 



In the first place, I would remark that the guarantee was 

 not in accordance with the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 

 inasmuch as the pei'centage of nitrogen was not stated, but its 

 equivalent in ammonia ; secondlj% that the price was largely in 

 excess of the real value of such a material. One can therefore 

 well understand the existence of a mai-gin for a " commission 

 of 12s. 6f/. a ton." 



4. Bone Ash. 



Under this name was sent me a material which was stated 

 to have come from some works, and which was sold under 

 the name " Bone Ash," the price being 41s. per ton. The 

 analysis of the material was as follows : — 



Moisture ........ 15"57 



Soluble phosphates ...... 12'56 



Insoluble phosphates ..... 35"05 



Sulphate of lime, alkaline saltp, &c. . . 34-24 



Insoluble siliceous matters .... 2'58 



100-00 



It will be seen that this was not simply bone ash, but 

 probably this material partly dissolved with oil of vitriol. The 

 price, however, could by no means be called high, although 

 the material was in lumpy condition and difficult of application 

 to the land. 



5. Sud-Cake. 



A sample of this was sent me, the price being 14s. per ton, 

 carriage, lis. additional, thus making, in all, 25s. per ton. 

 The analysis was as follows : — 



Moisture 3-89 



' Organic matter . 

 Oxide of iron and alumina 

 Lime . . . . 



Sand . . . . 



' Containing nitrogen 

 equal to ammonia 



43-86 



8-29 



-28 



43-68 



100-00 



2-31 

 2-81 



The material was in bad condition, and would require a 

 good deal of breaking up befoi^e it could be used on the land. 

 The price, considering the condition and the carriage which 



