( xxxi ) 
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 down with 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 sample 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 sample post. If the 
manure be very wet and lumpy, a larger boxful, weighing from 12 to 15 ozs., 
should be sent either by sample post or railway. 
There must be no writing or printing in the packet or its cover in addition to 
the address : Dr. Augustus Voelcker, 1 1 , Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, 
London, E.G., and the address of the sender of the parcel, and the number or 
mark of the article sent. 
These particulars must in all cases be given not on loose pieces of paper but on 
small labels attached to the samples or packages containing them. 
The samples must be sent in covers, open at the ends or in boxes, bags of linen 
or other materials, which may be fastened by string, but must not be sealed, so 
as to be easily examined. No parcel sent by sample post must exceed 1§ lb. in 
weight, or 2 feet in length, or 1 foot in width or 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 subsoil 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 traiH 
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 soUs, 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 fuU 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. 
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 sample post. The piece should weigh from 12 to 15 ozs. 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 sample post. 
On forwarding samples, separate letters should be sent by post to the laboratory, 
specifying the nature of the information required, and, if possible, the object 
in view. 
H. M. JENKINS, Secretary. 
