290 
Reports of the Chemical Committee. 
manure, mix all the samples well together, and forward such 
a fairly drawn and prepared average to a competent and trust- 
worthy agricultural chemist for analysis. Neither printed 
analyses nor printed testimonials in themselves have any practical 
value, and both are often used for the purpose of deception. 
The sample of Holman's Blood Manure, analysed by Dr. 
Voelcker, it will be seen, instead of 17 72 per cent, of ammonia, 
as represented in the printed analysis, yielded only 2^ per cent. ; 
and instead of 9 4 per cent, of phosphate of lime, only 5 per 
cent. ; and, besides a large proportion of sand and useless earthy 
matter, it contained 31 per cent, of water in round numbers. 
Such a manure would be dear at 11. bs., and Dr. Voelcker would 
not recommend any one to buy it at 21. a ton. 
Mr. C. S. Read has kindly favoured Dr. Voelcker with the sub- 
joined letter, and given him leave to lay it before the Com- 
mittee : — 
" Holman's Manure. 
" Honingham Thorpe, Norwich, November 16, 1870. 
" My dear Sir, — On receipt of your analysis of Mr. Holman's manure, I wrote 
to him, stating 'that I certainly should not pay for the manure.' At Mr. 
Holman's earnest request I did not send the manure back, but agreed to bis 
j)rojiosition to 'pay whatever it was worth, according to the crop it pro- 
duced.' I thought that it would be a good opportunity of testing the sound- 
ness of your analysis, and accordingly sowed 4 cwt. per acre of this manure 
and two different kinds of superphosphates, both costing the same price as 
Mr. Holman charged for his manure, viz., &. per ton. They were applied for 
white turnips after peas, and a strip of land was left, upon which no manure 
of any kind was sown. The two .superphosphates have grown a nice little 
crop of turnips, but I can see no difference at all between the unmanured 
plot and Mr. Holman's blood manure. I ought to add, that Mr. Holman 
states, the ' second croj) is equally benefited as the first.' I hope, for his 
.sake and mine, it will be more so, 
" Yours faithfully, 
" Dr. Voelcker." " Clare Sewell Read. 
The Committee would call attention to the frequent inferiority 
of certain manures sold under the name of fish-and-blood 
manures. A sample of such fish-and-blood manure (sent by 
Mr. N. N. Young, Orlingbury, Wellingboro'), had the following 
composition : — 
Moisture .. : 18-86 
*Organic matter 25-63 
Oxides of iron and alumina 4 43 
Phosphate of lime 1-92 
Sulphate and carbonate of lime 32-72 
Alkaline salts and magnesia (cbicfiy comiiion salt) 3-69 
Insoluble siliceous matter (sand) 12-75 
100-00 
* Containing nitrogen 1-20 
Equal to ammouia 1-45 
