Annual Report of the ConsuUin(j Chemiat for 1883. 367 
Coiiiposiiion of a Ho^-soil (^Eaut Kcut^ ahiiost dcntttule of available 
Potash. 
IJiicd at 212° F. 
•Organic matter and water of combination .. .. 4*07 
Oxide of iron 2'72 
Alumina 2 '47 
Carbonate of lime 4*32 
Magnesia '53 
Pliospboric acid *26 
Potasli and soda (cliiefiy soda and mere traces of I .gg 
potash) I 
Sulphuric acid traces 
Insoluble silicates and sand 85 "25 
100-00 
*Containing: nitrogen -18 
Equal to ammonia '21 
The gentleman who sent me this soil for analysis wrote 
to me : — 
" The soil of one of my hop-grounds used to be free from 
mould, but the last four or five years has been more or less 
liable to both white and red mould ; and although replanted 
three years ago, the young hops this season (1883) were as bad 
as the old ones. There is no doubt a deficiency of some agent 
or other in the soil, and I shall be glad to know what it is, in 
order that I may remedy it, if possible, before the next season." 
The soil had been heavily limed and manured with a good 
dose of dung, and about two tons of wool-refuse or shoddy per 
acre. 
The preceding analysis shows that it contained abundance 
of lime, more than an average proportion of phosphoric acid, 
and a good supply of nitrogenous food, but that it scarcely cour 
tained any potash. 
I do not remember ever having met a strong soil containing 
so little potash as this soil from a hop-garden in East Kent ; and 
I have no doubt my recommendation to apply a good dose of 
potash-salts, mixed with some mineral superphosphate as a 
winter-dressing, will be found beneficial. 
Funyus blocking up a drain. — Last April Sir John Swinburne, 
Capheaton, Newcastle, sent me for examination a peculiar- 
looking tough vegetable substance, which completely choked 
up some of his drains, accompanied by the following letter, 
addressed to Mr. Jenkins : — 
"April 17th, 1883. 
" Dear Sir, — A new plague has show'n itself on my estate. Within the 
•Jast six months we have found drains in a very stiff clay soil, with a rapid 
fall, choked with a substance of which I send you samples in two jars. 
" The contents of one jar were taken from a 3-inch pipe, 5 feet below the 
