94 TRANSACTIOKS OF THE [JA2T. 27, 



liminary tests I think another explanation possible. Besides 

 the phosphate of lime, there is in all the samples a certain 

 amountof carbonate rock, — in the rich specimens very little more 

 than in the South Carolina, — and also a good deal of sand or 

 matter insoluble in dilute hydrochloric acid. An examination 

 of this latter shows the presence of considerable clay. As all of 

 the phosphate is readily soluble in dilute acid, while the clay 

 and silica are not, I am led to believe that perhaps the phos- 

 phoric acid is practically all combined with lime, and not with 

 iron and alumina, and that this fact may have been overlooked 

 by chemists who have simply determined the total amount of 

 phosphoric acid, silica, alumina, and iron, regardless of their 

 combination. 



The nodules in the hammock district, which I analyzed, may 

 compensate for their not being a continuous body by being of 

 very high grade. The specimens I gathered showed respectively 

 74.32 per cent and 71.69 per cent of bone phosphate. 



In closing, I desire to call attention to the fact that in the 

 present stage of developments there is yet great uncertainty ; 

 that I have personally examined but one part of the field, and 

 that somewhat superficially, but believe that the facts here stated, 

 which have been obtained with considerable pains from reliable 

 sources, will prove sufficiently correct to give a fair view of the 

 situation ; and that the phosphate trade may regard it as settled 

 that there is an enormous quantity of high-grade material ac- 

 cessible, with comparative ease, in Florida, and that the centre 

 of production must undoubtedly leave Charleston in the near 

 future. While there is much wild speculation and reckless in- 

 vestment, there is also a magnificent opportunity for intelligent 

 expenditure of money for well-chosen property, and great for- 

 tunes are to be made in the State, which but yesterday attracted 

 little attention except for its climate and its fruit. For inves- 

 tors to go down at this late day is, perhaps, useless ; but with the 

 co-operation of those who have been in Florida from the begin- 

 ning of the excitement, and have intelligently tested and secured 

 the best lands, there is a splendid field for Northern capital. 



The Pkesidbnt remarked upon the great interest and im- 

 portance of the stateitients presented by Dr. Ledoux, and 

 referred to the fact that some years ago, when travelling in 

 western Florida, his own attention had been called to the 

 existence of phosphatic deposits in that region, of the kind first 

 described in this paper, — similar to those of Carolina. He had 

 seen specimens of the nodules and fossils, in the hands of private 



