ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CONSULTING CHEMIST FOR 1912. 



.54.5 



i 



ANNUAL BEPOKT OF THE CONSULTING CHEMIST 



FOR 1912. 



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



In the course of the year 1912 twenty-two samples were submitted 

 by members for analysis. The list of these is ,as follow^ s : — 



Peruvian guano . . . . . . 1 



Lime . . 2 



Waters 6 



Drainage waters . . - . . .2 



Soils 0 



Miscellaneous 2 



22 



Peruvian Guano. — A sample of this was sent which had been pur- 

 chased at £12 15s. per ton delivered, under a guarantee of its con- 

 taining ammonia 11*69 per cent., phosphates 33'05 per cent., and 

 sulphate of potash 2*71 per cent. The results of my analysis showed 

 the material to contain: — 



Per cent. 



^ Ammonia 10-61 



I Phosphates 3119 



R, Sulphate of potash 4"48 



It will be noticed that, while the manure was 1 per cent, deficient 

 in ammonia and practically 2 per cent, deficient in phosphates, the 

 potash was considerably above the guarantee. The guano was one 

 of high quality, and the price was not out of the way. 



Lime. — Two samples of lime were submitted to me, the analyses 

 of which were as follows : — 





No. 1. 



Ko. 2. 





i*er cent, 



^er cent. 



Lime ..... 



. 77-81 



86-06 



Silica 



. S'16 



3-29 



Oxide of iron and alumina , 



. 2-69 



1-79 



Water, magnesia^ &c. . 



. 10-74 



8-86 





100-00 



lOO-OO 



No. 2 was decidedly the better sample. It was sold as " Ground 

 lime," and was quite finely ground. 



Waters. — Under this heading are mentioned merely those points 

 which may be of interest. 



(a) This was a decidedly soft water, and naturally quite pure, but 

 it was contaminated with lead, owing to the action of the soft w^ter 

 upon the lead pipes which had been used for conveying it. 



(b) A sample of water was sent to me which had been taken from 

 a pond, the water being led from this in galvanized-iron pipes. The 

 water of the pond w^as used .when the supply of rain-water w^as short. 



vor;. ?<ivXVTir. n n 



