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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  down  with  the 
hand  any  lumps  present,  and  fold  up  in  tinfoil,  or  in  oil-silk,  about  3 oz.  of  the 
well-mixed  sample,  and  send  it  to  12,  Hanover  Square,  London,  W.,  by 
post:  or  place  the  mixed  mauure  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  oz.,  should  be 
sent  either  by  post  or  railway. 
Samples  not  exceeding  4 oz.  in  weight  may  be  sent  by  post,  by  attaching  two 
penny  postage  stamps  to  the  parcel. 
Samples  not  exceeding  8 oz.,  for  three  postage  stamps. 
Samples  not  exceeding  12  oz.,  for  four  postage  stamps. 
The  parcels  should  be  addressed:  Dr.  Augustus  Voelcker,  12,  Hanover 
Square,  London,  W.,  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  oz.  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  1 2 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  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. — The  water,  if  possible,  should  be  sent  in  a glass-stoppered  Win- 
chester half-gallon  bottle,  which  is  readily  obtained  in  any  chemist  and  drug- 
gist’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 oz.,  should  be  sent  enclosed  in  small  linen 
bags,  or  wrapped  in  paper.  Postage  2d.,  if  under  4 oz. 
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  oz.  Postage,  4 d.  If  sent  by 
railway,  one  quarter  or  half  a cake  should  be  forwarded. 
FEEDING  MEALS. — About  3 oz.  will  be  sufficient  for  analysis.  Enclose  tho 
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 
in  view. 
POISONS. — Before  a chemical  examination  is  undertaken,  a post-mortem 
should  be  made  by  a Veterinary  Surgeon,  or  at  the  Royal  Veterinary  College, 
Camden  Town,  N.W.,  and  only  the  necessary  Viscera  should  be  sent  to  tho 
Laboratory  for  analysis,  with  a report  on  the  post-mortem. 
H.  M.  JENKINS,  Secretary. 
