Q28 Importation of Potatoes into Malta, [march, 



At a recent meeting of the Royal Dublin Society, Dr. 

 Woltereck read a paper on the production of ammonia from 

 atmospheric nitrogen by means of peat, 

 Production of anc ^ gave a description of his experi- 

 Sulphate of Ammonia ments, which, he believes, will enable 

 from Peat. sulphate of ammonia and other pro- 



ducts to be produced from peat on a 

 commercial scale. Large works have been laid down with 

 this object at Carnlough, in Ireland, and the preliminary 

 workings have given promise of satisfactory results. The 

 Woltereck process consists in passing a mixture of air and 

 water vapour over peat kept at a low grade of heat in specially 

 devised furnaces, and it has been proved that in its commer- 

 cial work a yield of 5 per cent, of sulphate of ammonia on 

 actual dry peat may be obtained, and besides this main 

 product, acetic acid and paraffin tar are recovered, while the 

 ash of the peat is saleable as a cheap fertiliser, as it contains 

 potash, lime, and phosphoric acid in an available form. The 

 sole rights have been acquired for a period of 40 years to cut 

 peat over an area of 3,000 acres at Carnlough. 



The Board have received a copy of Government Notice 

 No. 21, dated January 20th, 1909, issued by the Government 

 of Malta, which prohibits the importa- 

 Importation of tion of potatoes exported from England 

 Potatoes into Malta, or Scotland, unless accompanied by 

 the following documents, viz. : — (1) A 

 Statutory Declaration by the shipper, naming the place of 

 origin, and stating that such potatoes were not grown on 

 land infected with black scab ; (2) a certificate from an officer 

 of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries stating that the 

 locality in which the potatoes were grown is free from that 

 disease. 



Consignments of potatoes not accompanied by the docu- 

 ments above mentioned shall, on importation, be liable to 

 be inspected, at the expense of the consignee, by the Inspector 

 of Agriculture, who may give such directions and take such 

 steps as he may consider necessary. 



