500 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CONSULTING CHEMIST 

 FOR 1915. 



By Dr. J. A. Voelcker, M.A., F.I.C. 



In the course of the year 1915 thirty samples were submitted to me by 

 members of the Society for analysis. The list of these is as follows : — 



Potash materials 



Bone meal 



Peruvian guano 



Shoddy and wool waste 



Concentrated phosphate 



Compound manures . 



Lime 



Soils 



Water 



Miscellaneous materials 



2 

 1 



2 



5 

 1 



5 

 1 



7 

 1 



5 

 30 



Potash Materials. — The effects of the war as regards the supply 

 of fertilizers to horticulturists have been felt mainly in respect of 

 potash materials, potash salts — which are obtained almost entirely 

 from Germany — having been practically unprocurable. In con- 

 sequence of this shortage, endeavours have been made to utilize 

 different waste materials. Instances of this are the following : — 



Paper Ash. 



Moisture 

 ♦Organic matter 

 fPhosphoric acid 

 Lime 

 Potash 



Oxide of iron, alumina, carbonic acid, &c. 

 Insoluble siliceous matter 



* Containing nitrogen 

 Equal to ammonia . 

 ■{■ Equal to tribasic phosphate of lime 



Per cent. 

 2-19 

 9-83 



•21 

 9-24 



•83 



43H7 

 34-23 



ioo-oo 



•26 

 •32 

 •45 



It will be noticed that this material contains an appreciable amount 

 of potash. 



Potash Material. 



Water 



Matters insoluble in water 

 Silica 



Total potash 

 Soluble potash . 



Equal to sulphate of potas 



This material was offered at £6 5s. a ton delivered, and was 

 guaranteed to contain 20 per cent, sulphate of potash. The potash 

 was mainly in soluble and available condition, and, under present 

 conditions, might be worth getting where potash is required. 



Per cent. 

 I-8 5 

 64-65 

 1572 

 1630 

 13-49 

 24-95 



