12 T. W. E. DAVID. 
IJ. Brier Review or Screntiric, MepicaAL AND ENGINEERING 
Work ETC., DONE CHIEFLY IN New Sourn WALES SINCE 
THE LAST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 
Agriculture.—Mr. F. B. Guthrie, F.c.s., has been engaged dur- 
ing the past twelve months at the laboratory of the Agricultural 
Department chiefly on the following work :— 
(a) Routine work.—Advice to farmers as to the best methods 
of treatment of their land, and the most suitable crops, based on 
analytical examination of the soil. Advice on all matters con- 
nected with agricultural chemistry, including analyses of fertilizers 
and farm and dairy produce generally. 
The results of the soil analyses of this and previous years are 
now being collected and arranged in such a form that the charac. 
teristics of soils from different localities may be studied. Such a 
compilation should be of value in enabling us to form a correct 
judgment as to the nature and peculiarities of the soil from differ- 
ent parts of the colony. 
In connection with the manure analyses, a pamphlet prepared 
in 1894 was oe and brought up to date in this year. This 
publicati ows the ition and relative value of the various 
fortilinevs offered for sale, ‘giioedling farmers information as to the 
nature and value of any fertilizer they may desire to purchase. 
Tt also acts as a check upon the quality of the manures offered 
for sale. 
Analyses were also made of many products manufactured for 
private persons for their own use, as well as of ashes and waste- 
products of all descriptions, with a view to determining their 
economic value. Assistance was also afforded to exporters of 
agricultural produce in guaranteeing the purity of the articles, 
particularly honey and bees’ wax. 
Analyses of sugar-beet, grown in different parts of the Colony, 
from seed supplied by the Department, were undertaken in order 
to judge of the fitness of different districts and of the different 
varieties for the production of sugar. 
