xl Report to the General Meeting. 



tropics, and every surgeon of such ships to be prepared to 

 examine on the spot the amount and quality of each deposit of 

 guano that may be discovered : the search for mineral phosphate 

 of lime in any part of the world being also included in this 

 instruction. Lord Palmerston having also stated his desire that 

 the Council should draw up a code of such instructions and 

 queries they would wish to have distributed by the Admiralty, 

 they have requested the Chemical Committee of the Society to 

 prepare these instructions and queries accordingly. The an- 

 nouncementof this most gratifying participation of Her Majesty's 

 Government in a question affecting in so high a degree the cause 

 of practical agriculture will be received with satisfaction by the 

 Society ; and these measures of the Government, with the Prize 

 of 50/. already offered by the Society for a statement of the 

 geographical distribution and the discovery of new sources of 

 guano, will, it is hoped, lead to interesting details and important 

 results. In the mean time, as the large proportion of ammonia 

 resulting from guano constitutes, in a great measure, its essential 

 value, it will be an important object to discover a mode by which 

 a cheap and abundant supply of that valuable element may be 

 obtained. The simple and effectual modes now available for 

 detecting adulteration in the guano of commerce ought to prevent 

 the great loss and disappointment to which farmers at the present 

 time are very liable ; and in furtherance of this object. Professor 

 Way has reduced his charge for an analysis of this manure to a 

 rate which brings it within the means of every farmer who will 

 take the trouble to guard himself by this analysis from fraud. 



The Journals of the Society contain from time to time the 

 results of Professor Way's Chemical Investigations, instituted 

 under the instructions of the Chemical Committee of the Society : 

 and the Lectures which he has delivered to the Members since 

 the last General Meeting, on the agricuUural employment of lime 

 and gypsum, have been valuable in themselves, and have led to 

 interesting practical discussions. 



The Council have taken means to bring before the Members 

 various suggestions made during the past year for extending in 



