Quarterly Reports of the Chemical Committee, 1883. 377 
4. Mr. T. Carrington Smith, of Admaston, Rugeley, forwarded 
to Dr. Voelcker a sample of Texas cotton-seed cake, with the 
following letter : — 
Admaston, Eugelcy, September 13th, 1883. 
Dear Dr. Voelcker, — 1 am sending j-ou for analysis, &c., according to 
No. 12, a sample of " Texas cotton-seed cake." The following is a quotation 
from the seller's description: "This is the square-shaped cake, somewhat 
roughh^ made, but it is exceedingly rich in feeding properties." The last lot 
analysed : — 
Oil 16-90 
Flesh-forming matttr 37 "87 
Ammonia 7 "36 
I have taken two tons on the condition that the quality is approximately- 
near the above-quoted analysis. 
1 should like your opinion in addition as to how much per ton the cake is 
worth at present market value, and also whether it is safe as a food for all 
descriptions of catlle and sheep. — Believe me, yours faithfully, 
-p. . , -57- , 1 T. Carrington Smith. 
Dr. Augustus Voelcker. 
The following is the analysis of the cake : — 
Moisture 10-95 
Oil 8-76 
. * Albuminous compounds 40 '87 
Mucilage 23-29 
Woody fibre 10-83 
Ash 5-30 
100-00 
* Containing nitrogen 6-54 
Dr. Voelcker reported as folloAvs : — 
September 21st, 1883. 
Dear Sir, — The sample which you sent me is a nasty stale cotton-cake 
■which I do not consider a safe food for stock. It is poor in oil, and in my 
judgment ought to be used only for manuring purposes in place of manure 
rape-cake. I do not put a money value upon feeding stuffs. 
A correspondence between Dr. Voelcker and Mr. Smith, as- 
well as betw.- ii the Secretary of the Society and Mr. Smith, 
ensued in consequence of the cake causing injury to a large 
number of stock and being suspected of containing some 
poisonous ingredients. The following are the most important^ 
letters on the subject ; — 
Admaston, Eugeley, September 25tb, 1883. 
Dear Mr. Jenkins, — On the 12tb instant a lot of Texas cotton-cake 
came into my hands from dealers in Liverpool. Not liking the bulk, and 
considering the cake inferior to the description given of it by vendors, I sent, 
on the 13th, a sample to Dr. Voelcker for analysis under No. 12. Unfor- 
tunately I used some cake before I received Dr. Voelcker's report, which 
reached me only on the 23rd instant. On the 21st instant all my stock 
were apparently in fine health. On the 22nd every bullock in a lot of 13 
was very ill, and three of these have died — the first at 3 r.M., the second at 
8 P.M. on that day, and the third at 4 a.m. on the 23rd. Also, simultaneously,. 
cight of my milking cows, fed and grazed in fields at a considerable distance 
