MOORE'S POTASH METHOD FOR FERTILIZERS 565 



in the lime-water method, appears to be unnecessary except for 

 the purpose of saving the platinum dishes from the effects of 

 igniting phosphates in the presence of organic matter. 



In order to determine the applicability of the method to this 

 class of materials several modifications were tried, the purpose of 

 which was to destroy organic matter and ammonium salts in 

 the most expeditious manner. These were destroyed both by 

 aqua regia and by igniting in porcelain dishes, the potash being 

 taken up afterward in distilled water and also in water acidified 

 with hydrochloric acid. In all cases the results have been given 

 corrected and uncorrected for the undissolved foreign salts. In 

 cases where the ignited residue was taken up only in distilled 

 water the impurities in the precipitate were sometimes consider- 

 able. Comparisons were also made of washing with plain alco- 

 hol and with acidified alcohol. The results are given in the follow- 

 ing table. 



The samples represented mixtures of the commoner raw ma- 

 terials. 



No. 



1759 Acid phosphate. 



1761 Acid phosphate and cottonseed meal. 



1762 Acid phosphate and muriate of potash. 



1763 Acid phosphate and muriate of potash, cottonseed meal and 



nitrate of soda. 



2119 Peruvian guano. 



2120 Mixed fertilizer. 



291 r Acid phosphate and potash salts. 



2912 Dissolved animal bone and potash salts. 



TABLE SHOWING PERCENTAGE OF POTASH IN FERTILIZERS. 



Moore's Method 



Official 



No. method. 



1759 4.98 



1761 0.92 



1 762 o. 70 



1763 5.70 

 2119 3.88 



2120 3.60 



2911 3.96 



2912 4.08 



