300 Annual Report of the Consulting Chemist for 1886. 
Kainfall in 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886. 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
28-14 
24-20 
17-84 
25-97 
25-05 
DuEiNG the Harvest Months of August and September the 
Raiotall was — 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
Inches 
4-65 
2-76 
6-65 
2-61 
XI. — Annual Report of the Consulting Chemist for 1886. 
By Dr. J. Augustus Voelcker, B.A., B.Sc, F.C.S. 
I HAVE during the past twelve months analysed 1581 samples 
sent to me by members of the Society, this being only six short 
of the number sent to me in the previous year. At the close 
of this report is given a list of the different kinds of samples 
analysed, and the number of each. 
There has been a large increase in the analyses made of 
feeding materials, due doubtless in no small degree to the great 
cheapening of price which these have undergone during the 
year. In manufactured manures there has been a corresponding 
decrease. Only half as many samples of nitrate of soda have 
been analysed, not entirely, I believe, on account of this salt 
having possibly been less used than before, but also on account 
of the less frequent adulteration to which it is subjected, 
although the Quarterly Reports of the Chemical Committee 
bear evidence to its being not unfrequently sold of an impure 
nature. Of sulphate of ammonia considerably more samples 
have been examined this year than last, it having experienced a 
still further fall beyond that mentioned in my last Annual 
Report. Its use in consequence, principally as a spring top- 
dressing, has been much on the increase. So far as my 
observations have gone — and these are borne out by the experi- 
ments conducted at Woburn — in the season of 1886 nitrate of 
soda, as a top-dressing, has been, on the whole, more productive 
than sulphate of ammonia, similarly used. As usual, numerous 
samples of water have been examined ; in the majority of cases, 
I may say, these have been found to be not good drinking- 
waters, and in many instances quite unfit for use. 
