196 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



these ashes was made, with a view of purchasing a quantity if 

 they proved satisfactory. The examination gave the following 

 result : — 



Hydrate of lime, . . . . .55 parts. 



Silica, 13 " 



Charcoal, 7 " 



Ashes, mixture of wood and coal, . . 25 " 



100 parts. 



The large percentage of lime is due to the fact, that the ashes 

 came from a limestone district, and were taken from lime-kilns, 

 probably. 



Another substance known as " fish guano " or " fish pomace " 

 has acquired considerable reputation in this section as a fertil- 

 izing agent, especially for grass lands. It consists of the dry 

 residuum of the fish-oil factories on the New England coast, 

 and is made up of the cruslicd bones and integuments of fishes, 

 from which the oil has been separated by great pressure. When 

 pure and dry we have found it to be a good and convenient 

 plant stimulant, and wortli about twenty dollars a ton. Proba- 

 bly but few of those wlio.have become purchasers of this sub- 

 stance have suspected that it is often so largely adulterated as 

 to be comparatively worthless. Some specimens found in the 

 market, and probably sold extensively to farmers, upon analysis 

 gave the following results : — 



Water, 17.26 



Sand, 46.00 



Phosphate of lime, ..... 8.90 

 Organic matter holding ammonia and salts of 



potash, soda, etc., 27.84 



100.00 



Here we have sixty-three per cent, of sand ami ivater, which 

 are worthless materials, and which are paid for at the rate of 

 twenty or twenty-five dollars a ton. 



Another specimen gave : — 



