1847.] A Fertilizer 1 343 



A FERTILIZER ? 



100 Grains give of water of absorption, 4.50 



Organic matter, 2.90 



Silicates, 66.22 



Allumina and per Oxide of Iron, 14.2S 



Phosphate of Magnesia, 4.20 



Phosphate of Lime, Trace 



Phosphate per Oxide of Iron, 0.04 



Carbonate of Lime, 2.40 



Magnesia, O.OS 



Sulphuric Acid, 0.25 



Chloride Sodium, (common salt,) 0.05 



Soluble Silica, 0.48 



Potash, 5.47 



100.87 

 Dr. Emmons : 



Dear Sir, — The above analysis was made by you, or under 

 your direction, of a fragment of rock presented by John Magee, 

 Esq., of Bath, Steuben county. Some are of the opinion that 

 this rock can be made highly valuable as a fertilizer, and conse- 

 quently are very anxious that it should be brought into general 

 use. As this would require a considerable outlay of money, I 

 thought it best in the first place to obtain the opinions of those 

 capable of judging as to its utility before commencing the work, 

 and for this purpose sent a friend to Geneva and Rochester, but 

 Mr. Lee being absent, he could find no person who would even 

 venture an opinion on the subject ; consequently, (although I do 

 it very unwillingly,) I have taken the liberty to address you on 

 the subject, and to make a request that you will at your earliest 

 convenience give me your opinion of the value of this rock as a 

 fertilizer. With much esteem, 



J. BRADEY. 



Millport. Chemung co., N. Y. Dec. 10, 1847. 



We believe, too, that this rock may be employed as a fertilizer 

 when circumstances are favorable. Whether a business can be 

 profitably conducted, by treating this rock as plaster is treated, 

 and then sending it to market, may reasonably be doubted. 



In its decomposition it furnishes fresh materials which are 

 highly important. When the rock is ground it is more speedily 

 decomposed and resolved into its elements, but whether this change 

 will be sufficiently advanced in one year so as to show marked 



