504 BIS. J. B. LAWSS, DR OILBEET, INT DB. PI GH OH 



Bean (b)-— Seeds, in Pwmice with 50 cub. cent, water.— Very much like th< last (Bean 

 « with soil), excepting thai the development of roi I great. 



Beam (c)—Meal, in Soil with I" oub. cent, water. — A little mouldy matter on the tu Gu e 

 of the soil, which appears dry. 



July I. 



Wheat (a) — AVvr/.v, wj Soil with 50 cwi. «>»£. water. — Plants all dead ; the entire con- 

 tents of the bottle apparently quite dry. The air has a slight musty odour. 



Wheal (l>) — Seeds, in Pumice with loo cub. cent, water. — Odour rather more marked 

 than that of the last (Wheat a); a coating of organic matter on the surface of the 

 pumice. 



Wheat (c) — Meal, in Soil with 40 cub. cent, water. — Soil quite dry ; covered with mould ; 

 odour of air slight. 



Barley (a) — Seeds, in Soil with 50 cub. cent, water. — Plants quite dead and dry ; air 

 inodorous. 



Barley (b) — Seeds, in Pumice with 100 cub. cent, water. — Soil dry and covered with 

 mould. Air like that of Wheat b ; more foul than that of any of the others. 



Barley (c) — Meal, in Soil toith 40 cub. cent, water. — Surface dry. The air has a slightly 

 musty odour. 



Bean (a) — Seeds, in Soil with 50 cub. cent, water. — Plants all dead, and much decom- 

 posed ; forming a black mouldy mass of organic matter on the surface of the apparently 

 dry soil. The air has no perceptible odour. 



Bean (b) — Seeds, in Pumice with 50 cub. cent, rearer. — The same as the last (Bean a). 



Bean (c) — Meal, in Soil with 40 cub. cent, water. — Soil dry ; slightly mouldy ; the air 

 from over it inodorous. 



In order to see the effect upon the organic matter of an increased amount of moisture, 

 100 cub. cent, of water were added to each of the nine bottles of decomposing matter, 

 at this date (July 1). 



August 28. 

 Final Report, and termination of the Experiment. 



Wheat (a) — Seeds, in Soil with 50 cub. cent, water. — Very little odour, and that not 

 unpleasant. On removal from the bottle, it was found that the organic matter was well 

 decomposed, only very indefinite remains of stems and leaves being visible in the soil. 

 On the addition of oxalic acid to the mass, to retain the ammonia during the evapora- 

 tion to dryness, a copious evolution of carbonic acid took place, and the surface of the 

 fluid was constantly covered with a brown froth during the process. 



Wheat (b) — Seeds, in Pumice with 100 cub. cent, water. — The mass has a disgusting 

 mouldy odour. The form of the grain is retained, but all the contents are gone, and the 



