514 
Foreign Nitrates. 
In the case of ammonia locked up in the soil, lime may be the 
remedy at the command of the farmer — his means of rendering 
immediately available stores of wealth, which can otherwise only 
slowly be brought into use. 
In this view lime would well deserve the somewhat vague 
name that has been given it, namely, that of a " stimulant," for 
its application would be in some sort an application of ammonia, 
whilst its excessive application, by driving off ammonia, would 
lead to all the disastrous effects which are so justly attributed to it. 
I do not wish to push this assumption too far, but if there be 
any truth in it, it points out the importance of employing lime 
in small quantities at short intervals, rather than in large doses 
once in many years. 
XXII. — Communication from the President upon the subject of 
Foreign Nitrates. 
In the admirable paper which appeared in our last volume, 
written by Mr. Pusey, on the natural law by which nitrate of 
soda or cubic saltpetre acts as a manure, and on its substitution 
for gunno, he promised, " that as it had been stated that salt- 
petre plains exist to the west of St. Luis Potosi, in Southern 
Mexico, with water communication to the Atlantic, and that as 
in those remote regions inquiry had been set on foot through the 
resident consuls by Lord Clarendon, their answers should be com- 
municated to the Society." In accordance with this promise I now 
beg leave, without remark, to lay these interesting communica- 
tions before its members, merely stating that the papers consist 
of a letter from Mr. Hammond to the Secretary, selected from 
amongst many others as the most interesting, enclosing letters 
from Mr. Cumberlege, Her Majesty's consul at Tampico, and the 
analyses of two of the specimens sent from the Foreign Office 
by Professor Way. 
Foreign Office, September 14, 1854. 
Sir, — With reference to Mr. Pusey's letter of the 17th of December last, I 
am directed by tlie Earl of Clarendon to transmit to you, to be laid before 
the President and Council of the Eoyal Agricultural Society, a copy of a 
Despatch from Mr. Cumberlege, Her Majesty's Consul at Tampico, enclosing 
four specimens of mineral salt, together with a statement describing the 
localities from whence they come. 
I am, Sir, 
Your most obedient humble servant, 
E. Hammond. 
James Hudson, Esq., Secretary to the Royal 
Agricultural Society. 
