620 



Miscellaneous Results from the Laboratory . 



ter of common notoriety at the present day. In spite, however, of all that 

 has been said or written on this subject, farmers persist in purchasing from 

 dealers, of whom they know little or nothing, manures of which they know 

 even less. To those who have any faith in composition as the test of 

 manurial efficacy, I offer the following analyses as specimens of the kind of 

 stuff to which, under the plea of economy, many are content to intrust the 

 success of their crops. 



The first analyses, No. 1 and No. 2, are those of so-called " animal 

 guano," offered for sale by the same dealers to two gentlemen on different 

 occasions ; No. 1 at 5/., and No. 2 at 47. a ton. They consisted respec- 

 tively of 







No. l. 



No. 2. 







Organic Matters .... 



Oxide of Iron. Alumina, with a 



little Phosphoric Acid . 

 Carbonate of Lime .... 

 Sulphate of Lime «... 

 Caustic of Lime .... 

 Common Salt and loss in analysis 



1- 95 

 26*23 



9*68 



5- 40 

 43-57 



2- 80 

 4-26 



6- 11 



3-43 

 32-43 

 28-35 



6-29 

 15-30 

 11-97 









100-00 



100-77 





When analyzed for nitrogen — 



No. 1 gave . . 1-62 per cent., equal to 1*97 per cent, of ammonia. 

 No. 2 gave . . 1-61 per cent., equal to 1-96 per cent, of ammonia. 



Practically these, no doubt, were one and the same substance. The 

 analysis closely resembles that of scutch (Specimen No. 2) ; and the 

 " animal guano" was, in all probability, 1hat article. I have already said 

 that scutch cannot be, on any showing, worth more than 25s. a ton ; and con- 

 sequently the purchaser of either of the above specimens would be defrauded 

 of three-fourths of the sum paid for them. 



The next analyses are those of two specimens of manure purchased by a 

 gentleman in Yorkshire : — 







No. 3. 



No. 4. 







Organic Matter .... 



Phosphate of Lime .... 

 Oxide of Iron and Alumina • 

 Sulphuric Acid .... 



27-61 

 26-60 

 9-02 

 7-98 



4- 71 

 13-73 



5- 33 

 •23 



3-77 



1-02 



27-57 

 25-20 

 9-00 



| 14-62 



10-23 

 5-45 



3- 78 



4- 15 









100-00 



100-00 





The nitrogen was as follows : — 



In No. 3 . . . * 78 per cent. = • 96 per cent, of ammonia. 

 In No. 4 . . . 1-65 per cent. = 2-01 per cent, of ammonia. 



