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INSTRUCTIONS FOR SELECTING AND SENDING SAMPLES 
FOR ANALYSIS. 
ARTIFICIAL MANURES.— Take a large handful of the manure from three 
or four bags, mix the whole on a large sheet of paper, breaking ilown v/ith the 
hand any lumps present, and fold up in tinfoil, or in oil silk, about 3 ozs. of the 
well-mixed sample, and send it to 11, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, E.G., 
by post : or place the mixed manure in a small wooden or tin box, which may 
be tied by string-, but must not be sealed, and send it by post. If the manure be 
very wet and lumpy, a larger boxful, weighing from 10 to 12 ozs., should be 
sent either by post or railway. 
Samples not exceeding 4 ozs. in weight may be sent by post, by attaching two 
penny postage stamps to the parcel. 
Samples not exceeding 8 ozs., for three postage stamps. 
Samples not exceeding 12 ozs., for four postage stamps. 
The parcels should be addressed: Dr. Augustus Voelcker, 11, Salisbury 
Square, Fleet Street, Londo.v, E.G., and the address of the sender or the 
number or mark of the article be stated on parcels. 
The samples may be sent in covers, or in boxes, bags of linen or other materials. 
No parcel sent by post must exceed 12 ozs. in weight, 1 foot 6 inches in length, 
9 inches in width, and 6 inches in depth. 
SOILS. — Have a wooden box made 6 inches long and wide, and from 9 to 12 
inches deep, according to the depth of soil and subsoil of the field. Mark out in the 
field a space of about 12 inches square; dig round in a slanting direction a trench, 
so as to leave undisturbed a block of soil with its sub.soil from 9 to 12 inches deep ; 
trim this block or plan of the field to make it fit into the wooden box, invert the 
•open box over it, press down firmly, then pass a spade under the box and lift it 
up, gently turn over the box, nail on the lid and send it by goods or parcel from 
to the laboratory. The soil will then be received in the exact position in which 
it is found in the field. 
In the case of very light, sandy, and porous soils, the wooden box may be at 
once inverted over the soil and forced down by pressure, and then dug out. 
WATERS. — Two gallons of water are required for analysis. The water, if 
possible, should be sent in glass -stoppered Winchester half-gallon bottles, which 
are readily obtained in any chemist and druggist's shop. If Winchester bottles 
cannot be procured, the water may be sent in perfectly clean new stoneware spirit- 
jars surrounded by wickerwork. For the determination of the degree of hardness 
'before and after boiling, only one quart wine-bottle full of water is required. 
LIMESTONES, MARLS, IRONSTONES, AND OTHER MINERALS.— 
Whole pieces, weighing from .3 to 4 ozs., should be sent enclosed in small linen 
bags, or wrapped in paper. Postage 2d., if under 4 ozs. 
OILCAKES. — Take a sample from the middle of the cake. To this end break a 
whole cake into two. Then break off a piece from the end where the two halves 
were joined together, and wrap it in paper, leaving the ends open, and send parcel 
by post. The piece should weigh from 10 to 12 ozs. Postage, 4rf. If sent by 
railway, one quarter or half a cake should be forwarded. 
FEEDING MEALS.— About 3 ozs. will be sufficient for analysis. Enclose the 
meal in a small linen bag. Send it by post. 
On forwarding samples, separate letters should be sent to the laboratory, 
specifying the nature of the information required, and, if possible, the object 
an view. 
H. M. JENKINS, Secretary. 
