REPORT OF THE SOCIETY'S CONSULTING CHEMIST. 655 



REPORT OF THE SOCIETY'S CONSULTING CHEMIST, 

 Dr. J. AUGUSTUS VOELCKER, M.A., F.I.C., F.L.S. 



During the year 1904 twenty samples were submitted by Fellows to 

 the Consulting Chemist for analysis, and, in addition, there were four 

 applications for consultations on different matters. Eighteen Fellows in 

 all availed themselves in this way of the special privileges granted by the 

 Society. 



The samples submitted were as follows : — 



The number is small at present, but, as the privileges come to be 

 better known, the assistance of the Chemical Department may perhaps be 

 more widely utilised. Nor can it be said that all the samples sent had a 

 purely " horticultural " significance, as in the case of waters, which were 

 submitted generally as the qutcome of the existence of the privileges. 

 The samples of water sent were mainly for drinking purposes, and the 

 desirability of inquiry into these supplies is evidenced by the fact that 

 only two out of the nine were found to be fully satisfactory ; two others 

 were fair, one, however, containing zinc, derived from the use of galvanised 

 iron pipes ; while the other five were all more or less polluted, three of 

 them very badly so. In one case complaint had been made of the break- 

 ing out of skin eruptions. It was found that the supply came from a 

 well close to an old churchyard. The water showed on analysis, with 21^ 

 grains per gallon of total solids, no less than nine grains per gallon of 

 nitrates, and seven grains of chlorides — both excessive amounts. As 

 regards the three samples of soil sent for examination, analysis showed in 

 one case urgent need of lime, in a second of phosphoric acid, and in the 

 third of potash, this latter ingredient being of special importance when 

 fruit-growing is in contemplation. The fertilisers sent comprised 

 (a) mineral superphosphate, (b) oyster-shell scraps, (c) compound manures. 

 The superphosphate was of high quality, giving 32*59 per cent, of soluble 

 phosphate ; the shell scraps contained 87^ per cent, of carbonate of lime 

 and would be useful for liming purposes when, as here, finely ground. A 

 fertiliser sold as " Cucumber manure " gave the following composition : — 

 Soluble phosphate 16-11 per cent., insoluble phosphates 9*81, potash 3*72 

 per cent., and ammonia 3*14 per cent., and was quite good of its class. 



There was one inquiry respecting the use of a manure that was 

 believed to have done harm to fruit trees, but the injury was not properly 

 traceable to this cause. A second referred to harm done to Melon plants 

 in a greenhouse. This was found to be due to the woodwork having been 

 coated with tar, and, no doubt, volatile products given off from the tar 

 through the influence of the heating had caused the injury. It takes long 

 to remove this cause of trouble, and it is not safe to place plants under 

 such conditions until every trace of smell from tar has been removed. 



Waters 

 Soils 



Fertilisers 

 Miscellaneous 



9 

 3 

 6 

 2 



Total 20 



