566 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



REPORT OF THE SOCIETY'S CONSULTING CHEMIST. 



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



During the year 1914, 35 samples were submitted to me by members, 

 as against 19 in the previous year. They were as follows : — 



Manures . . . . . .12 



Burnt earth ...... i 



Waters ....... 7 



Soils . . . . . . .15 



35 



I. Manures. — The twelve samples consisted mostly of meat 

 meals or bone and meat meals, together with one sample of fish guano, 

 one of hoof meal, and one of phosphatic manure. 



The meat meals generally were of good quality, though in one 

 or two cases the prices were somewhat high. 



Phosphatic Manure. — This gave the following analysis : — ■ 



Moisture. . . . . . . iC'iy 



Organic matter . . . . . 17' 91 



*Phosphoric acid ..... 30*97 



Lime . . . . . . . 31-20 



Magnesia 8cc. . . . . . . 3-10 



Insoluble siliceous matter. . . . '65 



loo-oo 



* Equal to tribasic phosphate of lime . . 67*67 



This had been guaranteed to contain 73 per cent, of phosphates, 

 and, accordingly, was 5 J per cent, deficient. It was priced at £y los. 

 delivered, for cash, and I should consider it excessively dear at this. 



Fish Guano. — ^This contained phosphate of lime 10 71 per cent., 

 nitrogen 10*13 per cent., equal to ammonia 12 '30 per cent., and was of 

 decidedly high quality. 



Hoof Meal. — The sample of this sent contained : — 



Nitrogen . . . ... 11-30 per cent. 



Equal to ammonia. . . .13-72 per cent. 



2. Burnt Earth. — A member of the Society sent me from Hert- 

 fordshire a sample of burnt earth in the hope that, in the dearth of 

 potash salts caused by the war, it might prove useful as a means 

 of supplying potash to the soil. Analysis of it gave the following 

 results : — 



Lime . . . . . • 6-75 per cent. 

 Phosphoric acid . . . . 1-25 „ „ 

 Potash 83 „ „ 



