REPORT OF THE CONSULTING CHEMIST FOR 191 8. 



REPORT OF THE CONSULTING CHEMIST FOR 1918. 



By Dr. J. Augustus Voelckek, M.A., F.I.C., F.L.S. 



During the twelve months thirteen samples, as against twenty-two 

 in 1917, were sent by Fellows of the Society for analysis. These 



comprised — 



Soils 3 



Waters . . . . . .2 



Flue dust . . . . . . .2 



Waste manurial materials .... 3 



Lime ........ 1 



Miscellaneous ...... 2 



13 



i. Soils. — The first of the three came from land in the Cotswolds 

 which had been out of cultivation for several years, and had been 

 lately ploughed up for putting into corn. It was a brownish-yellow 

 coloured heavy clay, with still heavier clay subsoil. Analysis of it 

 gave : — 



(Soil dried at ioo° C) 



per cent. 



Organic matter and loss on heating . . . 7-81 



Oxide of iron ...... 7-80 



Alumina ....... 7*30 



Lime ........ 1078 



Magnesia . . . . . . . -79 



Potash ........ *50 



Soda . . . . . . . . -46 



Phosphoric acid . . . . . . '46 



Sulphuric acid . . . . . . -18 



Carbonic acid . . . . . . 7-80 



Insoluble silicates :and sand . . . . 56-12 



ioo-oo 



Nitrogen ....... '265 



This soil, it will be seen, was well supplied in lime, and also in 

 vegetable matter and nitrogen. Moreover, it was exceptionally 

 rich in phosphoric acid and also had a plentiful amount of potash, 

 so that, altogether, it should prove quite a suitable soil for wheat- 

 growing, provided that the necessary cultivation be given to it. This, 

 rather than any manuring, is what such a soil requires. 



A second case was one of garden soil in Surrey and this 

 contained : — 



(Soil dried at ioo° C. 



per cent; 



Organic matter and loss on heating . . 8*78 



Oxide of iron and alumina . . . . 9*25 



Lime ........ i-oo 



Phosphoric acid . . . . . . '36 



Alkalies &c. ....... 1*61 



Insoluble siliceous matter .... 79*00 



ioo-oo 



