298 
On the Analysis of Guano. 
6" 5 are therefore water, easily separable, and 24*5 parts are solid 
matter. 
3. 100 parts, mixed -with 9 times their weight of water, and 50 of 
lime, being distilled in an alembic connected with the five- globe con- 
denser, &c., afforded exactly 4 2 of ammonia, 20 grains in fine powder, 
along with 200 of a mixture, consisting of 2 parts of dry lime and 1 of 
hydrate of soda were gently ignited in a combustion-tube connected with 
the ammonia-condensing apparatus, and they produced 4 "25 grains of 
ammonia — equivalent to 21 '25 from 100 grains of the guano. Thus 
only 4*2 per cent, of ammonia were ready formed; while 17 '05 lurked, 
80 to speak, in their azotized elements. From its aspect and its want 
of ammoniacal odour, this guano, the first cargo received from Bolivia, 
was imagined by its importers to be of bad quality ; and accordingly 
my very favourable report of its analysis surprised them not a little, and 
rather unsettled the little faith they at that time (January, 1843) had in 
chemistry. But about a fortnight after the date of my report, they re- 
ceived a letter from Peru apprizing them of the excellence of that cargo 
of Bolivian guano, and of its being prized by the Americans as possessing 
fertilizing powers in a pre-eminent degree. I consider this guano^ 
therefore, as a type of the substance in its best state. 
1 1. The soluble matter was analyzed, in the manner already detailed, 
and was found to consist of — 
1. Urea 5* 
2. Sulphate of potash 7-90 
3. Chloride of sodium 5' 
4. Biphosphate of ammonia . . . . ."b'SO 
5. Oxalate of ammonia 0 • 60 
24- 
In these ammoniacal salts there are only 1 • 65 parts of ammonia ; but 
I obtained 2*55 grains in distilling the soluble matter of 100 grains of 
the guano. The remaining 0*9 parts, therefore, must have proceeded 
from the partial decomposition of the urea during the long ebullition 
necessary to extract every particle of ammonia, in distilling the guano 
along with quicklime. 
III. The insoluble matter = 69 5 parts, was found to consist of — 
1. Silica 2-25 
2. Subphosphate of lime . . . . . 9'00 
3. Phosphate of magnesia and ammonia . . 1"25 
4. Urate of ammonia . . . . . 15'27 
5. Undefined azotized organic matter, affording, with 
the 14 parts of uric acid, by ignition with 
hydrate of soda, 17 ' 05 parts of ammonia . 41 • 73 
69-50 
This result as to the large ])roportion of organic matter in the dried 
insoluble residuum was verified by igniting a given quantity of it, when 
it was found to lose, out of 69 "5 parts, 57 ; corresponding to the 15 '27 
urate of ammonia, 41 '73 of undefined matter, and 0'08 of ammonia. 
