538 Transactions of the American Institute. 



Eumford Chemical Works, Providence, threw the whole into a 

 cement-liued cistern, poured over a few pails of water, and covered 

 carefully to exclude the air. Great heat was soon produced, and 

 when this had subsided the whole mass was found, while still 

 retaining in great degree the forms of grass, to be converted into 

 myriads of microscopic forms of animal and vegetable life. Much 

 of the vegetable matter had passed through the organism of this 

 minute life. The acid phosphate of lime and the sulphate of 

 ammonia, as well as the vegetable matter, were at hand to aid in 

 the development of the organic germs. They had multiplied to 

 an astonishing degree. On drenching a tuft of the disintegating 

 gi'ass, the water acquired a swarm of minute life, and the solution, 

 on evaporation to dryness, yielded an extraordinary residue in 

 obvious condition to meet the wants of nascent vegetation. 



Thrifty vegetation requires that the plant food of the soil should 

 be provided in solution. Extent of surface is a first requisite of 

 substances to be dissolved. Ammoniated superphosphate of lime 

 promotes the growth of the minute organisms which resolve the 

 coarser organic matter of compost heaps or of soils into the finer 

 and more soluble forms, from which they pass readily to solution 

 and to the circulation of vegetation. 



It should be borne in mind that the value of any fertilizer which 

 may by analysis be shown to be rich in phosphoric acid, is not 

 always in proportion to the quantity thus shown, because this acid, 

 hough abundant, may exist, as is the case with ground bones and 

 imperfectly made superphosphates of lime, of which there are 

 many, and with most of the phosphatic guanos, in an insoluljle 

 state, requiring perhaps years to develop itself by deca3% The 

 ammonia also in such preparations may be abundant, but in a free 

 state, as in Peruvian guano, and thus rapidly volatilize and be lost 

 in the surrounding atmosphere. 



Professor H. indicated his willingness to appear before the Club 

 at another meeting, and saj' something on the chemical conditions 

 of good bread-mddug. Considerable discussion followed as to the 

 merits of fish cake or fish guano as a manure. Some said it makes 

 sorrel come in. Others said any manure would make the sorrel 

 grow in most soils, and that hoes and plows must be relied on to 

 kill it, not the absence of rich manures. This fish manure is best 

 applied in the compost heap. 



Dr. Grant, of lona, reverted to the subject discussed last week 

 and the week before — 



