REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 49 



A sample of Borden's condensed milk illustrates that important branch of dairy econ- 

 omy. The analysis reveals the large proportion of cane-sugar that is added to the milk 

 in order to get a product that "will keep well. 



Composition of Bordcix's condensed millc. 



Water 23.6 



Ash 1.87 



Fat 11.19 



Caseine, (by diflcrence) 14.71 



Milk-sugar 12.43 



Cane-sugar 36.20 



Finally, we have to mention, as a by-product of some use, ■n-hey-oil, which is pre- 

 pared, from the whey, and is used for oiling the cheese in the curing-room. It raelts .at 

 a lower temperature than butter made from the same material, and is destitute of tho 

 texture and flavor of good butter. 



As stated above, though the original investigations made by the divis- 

 ion have not been very numerous, the results obtained are of great value 

 on account ot the probability of their bringing about an introduction of 

 new industries and the improvement of old ones, more especially in the 

 Southern and Western States, where such an effect will prove most ben- 

 eficial. 



Those of the greatest value in this particular that I have to report are 

 those of the analysis of — 



BAT-GUAISfOS FOUND IN CAVES IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



I had the honor in a iDrevious report to submit the results of an 

 analysis of a sample of bat excrement taken from a deposit near Hunts- 

 ville, Ala., and the interest manifested in them, and the reports of other 

 deposits received from time to time, seemed to render it advisable to 

 issue a circular-letter to the regular correspondents of the Department 

 in the South, asking for information concerning the existence of such 

 deposits, with complete descriptions of their location and extent. To 

 these letters we have received replies of a very favorable character, 

 many of them being accompanied by samples of the deposits described, 

 developing the fact that the deposits were not confined to any particular 

 section of the South, but that they exist in many of tho States from 

 Virginia to Texas, several of them being of considerable extent. It was 

 believed by many persons before the war, and by oflicers of the Confed- 

 erate government during the war, that they would prove to be a valu- 

 able source of niter, and were worked for the extraction of this com- 

 liound. Some of the attempts in this direction proved successful, but 

 very many of them failed runiously, as might have been expected from 

 the low percentage of nitric acid in some of the samples and its com- 

 plete absence in others, and, at the close of tho war, all enterprise in this 

 direction was abandoned. They will, however, be a profitable source 

 of fertilizing material, since their mechanical condition is favorable to 

 their ready removal and application to the soil. Most of them contain 

 fair percentages of organic nitrogen, while some of them contain both 

 actual ammonia and nitrates. Microscopical examination of the mate- 

 rial shows it to consist of the remains of the hard parts of insects in a 

 finely comminuted condition, which are the source of its nitrogenous 

 constituents. Many of these remains are in such a fair state of preser- 

 vation that the species of insects to which they belong may be deter- 

 mined. 



Before proceeding to further descriptions of the samples received by 

 4A 



