514 Chronicles of Science. [Oct., 



Professor Anderson has lately delivered at Glasgow an interesting 

 lecture on recent laboratory results, in which he called attention to 

 the state of the guano trade, the superphosphate manufacture, the 

 quality of oil cakes, and of drinking water — all of them important 

 agricultural subjects. He informs us that the guano on some of 

 the Chincha islands is already exhausted, and that recent imports 

 are of inferior quality — containing considerably more water and 

 considerably less ammonia than the qualities which have hitherto 

 been common — a difference capable of correction only by the arti- 

 ficial addition of at least 20 shillings-worth of sulphate of am- 

 monia to the ton— "and to this extent the price of the guano is 

 practically enhanced by this diminution of its quality." Of recently 

 manufactured superphosphates Professor Anderson reports an im- 

 provement. They are indeed no longer manufactured from bones, 

 but the process by which the mineral phosphates are converted is 

 more completely carried out, and new supplies, of excellent quality, 

 are from time to time discovered. Thus it has been lately met 

 with in nests in a particular kind of dolomite in the valley of the 

 Lahn, a tributary of the Pihine. The mines of Staffel yielded last 

 year 2,-00 tons of a quality containing 55 to 65 per cent, of 

 phosphates. It is here in a new and unexpected geological 

 formation, and there can be little doubt that by an extended search 

 many similar deposits will be found. 



During the past year Professor Anderson has found bran, grass 

 seeds, carob beans, French nutcake, and other adulterations in oil- 

 cakes of British manufacture. And we are informed of the offer in 

 the market of inferior mixtures containing mustard and other small 

 seed, with the avowed purpose of " reducing high quality linseed." 

 A dealer in cakes, we are told, has sold at 117. a ton an article, 

 which he stated was of the highest quality, under the name of the 

 "Simon Pure." It was found on analysis to contain bran, and 

 since then he has supplied his customers with the reed Simon Pure 

 at 11/. 10s., " so that in commerce as well as in comedy there are a 

 real and counterfeit Simon Pure."* Professor Anderson touched 

 lastly on the character of the drinking water given to cattle. He 

 has lately examined the water from wells on several farms, and has 

 found them to contain nitrates obviously derived from the infiltration 

 of animal matters. The presence of such matters is injurious to 

 human beings, and is in all probability also mischievous to the live 

 stock of the farm. 



One of the more remarkable features of the annual show of the 



* For the guidance of analysts and of our agricultural readers, we may mention 

 that the following substances are used for the adulteration of linseed cake : wheat- 

 bran, ground rice-husks, inferior rape-cake, inferior groundnut-cake, Niger cake, 

 damaged cotton cake, cake made from damaged linseed, Dodder cake, Sessame 

 cake, Indian corn meal, locust beans, &c. ; but the worst, and most valueless 

 substance used is ground rice-husks, known as " shudes." 



