130 
Chemical Report. 
leading to their introduction into various parts of Great Britain 
and Ireland, France, Jamaica, Mexico, Australia, Tasmania, 
Canada, and, lastly and largely, into the United States of America 
— it were easy to enlarge upon their valuable qualities, but the 
writer has confined himself to an impartial history of the breed, 
whose native home is a bleak hilly district several hundred feet 
above the sea-level.* Flourishing as they do there, it is not 
surprising that they maintain their reputation when transplanted 
to richer soil and a milder climate. 
VI. — Chemical Beport. By Dr. Augustus Voelcker. Pre- 
sented to the Council December 2nd. 
1 HAVE the satisfaction of reporting to the Chemical Committee 
that the members of the Society availed themselves more fre- 
quently during the past year than in any previous year of their 
privilege of sending samples of manures, soils, cakes, &c., to the 
laboratory. The number of analyses made in 1868 amounts to 
432, and exceeds that of 1867 by 91, being larger than the total 
number of analyses recorded in any previous year. 
This increase in the analytical work for members of the Society 
probably is mainly due to the brisk transactions in artificial 
manures which took place in the past season, and the scarcity 
of food, in consequence of which a large number of artificial 
manures, principally of the character of superphosphates, and 
many oil-cakes and feeding materials, were sent to the laboratory 
for analysis. 
By far the larger proportion of the class of manures to which 
superphosphate belongs were found of good quality, well pre- 
pared, and worth the money at which they were offered for sale. 
Of late years the manufacture of superphosphate has much 
improved, and notwithstanding its superior quality and in- 
trinsic value, the market-price of this description of fertilisers 
has not been increased. On the other hand, Peruvian guano 
of high quality continues to be scarce, and several samples were 
found to be grossly adulterated. 
Compound artificial manures, sold under the name of British 
guano, corn-manure, &c., as a rule were found too dear at the 
* Where ■within the memory of many now living 
" The mighty stag at noontide lay :" 
and still when the chilly autumnal blasts from the Atlantic sweep across the 
moorland, not only the cattle, but 
" The sheep, before the pinching heaven, 
To sheltered dale and down are driven." — J. T. D. 
