58 REPORT—1857. 
But the proper manipulation of the potato was the more imperative and essential, 
from the fact of the greatly increased quantity of food which it yields as compared 
with wheat. An acre of land planted with potatoes, will, when the watery portion 
is extracted, produce, of dry matter or meal, similar in appearance to wheaten meal, 
about 4076 lbs.; whilst an acre of wheat will produce but about 1055 Ibs. Thus the 
quantity of food from the potato, nearly analogous to food from wheat, is nearly four 
times that from wheat. 
Samples of the several preparations of meal and flour of potato were exhibited ; 
and the process of manufacture was stated to be so simple as to be within reach of 
farmers and householders generally, by using the usual appliances of the dairy, &c. 
On some of the Medicinal and Chemical Properties of Carbonized Peat Moss 
By Jasper W. Roecers, C.E. 
Peat possesses in itself, and in the water combined with it, great anti-putrescent 
powers. Human bodies have been frequently found in peat mosses in a state of pre- 
servation scarcely inferior to that of an Egyptian mummy. The analyses of peat 
moss discover substances not to be found in wood, amongst others “ paraffine,’”’ 
closely analogous to spermaceti. The absorptive power of peat moss, properly car- 
bonized, was found by measure as follows :— 
100 volumes of Ammoniacal gas, 
60 » », Sulphuretted hydrogen. 
40 3, 9, Carbonic acid gas, 
The author states, that experiments as tothe effects to be obtained by the action 
of “carbonized peat,” used medicinally, had been made by competent medical men, 
and that in dyspepsia, and all diseases of the stomach and chest, the effect of carbon- 
ized peat moss, exhibited internally, had been found specially advantageous. He 
proposes an explanation of this effect on the known anti-putrescent quality of peat, 
and concludes that if it be true, it can scarcely be doubted that in ‘ carbonized peat 
is to be found a remedy for cholera. It is an anti-putrescent and a tonic, combined 
with an absorbent power, which has no known equal.” 
Ozone Observations. By Professor W. B. Rocrrs. 
On a Process for the Determination of the Nitrates in Plants. 
By Professor W. K. Sutiivan, PA.D., M.RIA. 
The author pointed out the great importance of finding a process for the purpose, 
because in determining the amount of nitogen in plants by the usual processes, a part 
of the nitrogen of the nitric acid is included in the result, and consequently the true 
amount of assimilable azotic proximate principles cannot be deduced from ultimate 
analysis, if nitrates be present. The chief feature of the process is the use of sulpho- 
vinate of silver to precipitate the vegetable acids; the silver salts of which are inso- 
luble in absolute alcohol, while the nitrate of silver is soluble. He also pointed out a 
method of separating lactic and acetic acids from one another when present. 
On the Presence of several Acids of the Series C” H" O* among the Products of 
the Distillation of Peat. By Professor W. K. Sutiivan, Ph.D., MRLA. 
Professor Sullivan stated, that he first observed the presence of butyric acid in the 
acetic acid prepared from peat, about five or six years ago, but had not an opportunity 
of examining the subject further until recently, when he became possessed of a large 
quantity of raw produets of peat, which he hoped gradually to investigate, The pro- 
cess of separating the acids, and the results of the analyses of some of the compounds 
of each, were described. The salt of baryta, which was obtained with butyric acid, 
contained four equivalents of water, and therefore corresponded with one of Changel’s 
salts. The tendency of butyrate of baryta to crystallize in the anhydrous form was — 
remarked, and the great difficulty of obtaining the hydrated salts, which accounts for — 
Lerch having always obtained that salt as an anhydrous compound, The formation — 
of a considerable amount of cyanide of ammonium, by the destructive distillation of 
peat, was also established, : 
