Fraudulent Mixtures. 19 



We shall leave it to the reader to decide whether or not a 

 powder of that composition is likely to verify the above extra- 

 ordinary statements. If he should be inclined to try the effects 

 of manuring- the seed instead of the land with some such powder 

 (which we by no means recommend), he may procure it at an 

 infinitely smaller cost by blending together soot, bone-dust, com- 

 mon salt, and gypsum, in the proportions indicated in the above 

 analysis. 



Economical Manure. For some time past a manure has been 

 advertised in almost every agricultural newspaper under the 

 inviting name of " Economical Manure," as a cheap substitute 

 for guano. 



It is stated to be a chemical compound, in a highly " concen- 

 trated state, and to contain a large proportion of ammonia, 

 which it also has the property of fixing in the soil, as well as 

 the carbonic acid." 



" This ingredient," it is said, " offers a good and efficient 

 manure for all green and other crops, as well as for top-dress- 

 ings, at one-third the cost of an ordinary manuring with Peru- 

 vian guano, and will produce all the results, by the application 

 of from 1 cwt. to 1^ cwt. per statute acre, which will cost 12s. to 

 15s., while 4 cwt. of Peruvian guano (an ordinary manuring) costs 

 36s." 



Numerous testimonials, as usual, accompany these advertise- 

 ments. We have carefully analysed this manure, and found it to 

 contain in 100 parts : 



Composition of Economical Manure, 121. per Ton. 



Water 36'525 



Sulphate of iron (green vitriol) 23 '756 



Sulphate of lime '860 



Sulphate of magnesia '204: 



Bisulphate of potash 4-677 



Bisulphate of soda 10-928 



Sulphate of soda 15-143 



Sulphate of ammonia * 2*648 



Insoluble siliceous matter (sand) 5*850 



100-591 

 * Containing ammonia -682 



It will be observed that instead of a large proportion of am- 

 monia the. economical manure contained less than 7-10ths per 

 cent. ; and that it consists principally of green vitriol and sulphate 

 of soda or glauber-salt, two equally cheap salts ; whilst the more 

 expensive and efficacious salts, namely, sulphate of ammonia and 

 potash, enter but sparingly into the composition of this so-called 

 chemical compound. 



