XXV111. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



The specimen of gadolinite described in this paper was 

 identified as such by Professor David and Mr. W. G. 

 Woolnough, when it was brought over last year to Sydney 

 University, by Mr. Bernard F. Davis. Mr. Davis kindly 

 undertook to make an analysis of the mineral, and place 

 the results at the disposal of the Royal Society of New 

 South Wales. The mineral occurs in lodes, associated with 

 tinstone and monazite contained in gneiss. It was found 

 by Mr. Davis at Oooglegong, in the Pilbarra District, West 

 Australia. The following is the analysis by Mr. Davis: — 



Si0 2 



.. 23*33 



Y 2 3 



... 33*40 



FeO 



.. 10*38 



MgO 



•69 



BeO 



.. 12*28 



Loss on ignition 



•32 



0e,O 3 



La 2 0;3 and Di 2 



.. 2*50 

 .. 18*30 









101*20 



Dr. Norman Collie examined the mineral for helium and 

 other gases. He says that 10 grams on heating gave about 

 10 cc. of 00 2 and 10 cc. of hydrogen, a little nitrogen, and 

 about one bubble of helium. 



2. " Pot experiments to determine the limits of endurance 

 of different farm crops for certain injurious substances, 

 Part I (Wheat)" by F. B. Guthrie, f.i.c, f.c.s., and 

 R. Helms. 



The authors describe experiments to test the effect upon 

 the growth of the wheat-plant of the following substances 

 occasionally found in the soil and in manures, and which 

 are known when present in excessive quantities to act as 

 plant poisons. Sodium chloride and Sodium carbonate 

 which are present in many of the artesian bore-waters used 

 for irrigating ; Ammonium sulphocyanide which has been 

 found in impure samples of ammonium sulphate ; Sodium 

 chlorate, occasionally present in sodium nitrate, and Arsen- 

 ious oxide which may be present in superphosphate which 

 has been manufactured with acid derived from sulphur or 

 pyrites containing arsenic. The experiments were carried 



