428 
Reports of the Chemical Committee. 
tlon to the following case, in whicli the son of a farmer was 
about to become agent for a manure known as the British Econo- 
mical Manure. Before undertaking this agency he was requested 
by a friend, who had formerly purchased the manure, to have an 
analysis of the article, and accordingly Mr. H. Allen, Stephen 
of Eastover, Andover, forwarded a sample to Dr. Voelcker, which 
was analysed with the following results : — 
Composition of a sample of British Economical Manure, sent hj 
Mr. Stephen H. Allen, Eastover- near Andover, sold at 12/. 
per ton by B. Coveney, 17, Devonshire Square, Bishopsgate 
Street, E.C. ;— 
Moisture 9-86 
Crystallised sulphate of iron (green vitriol) .. .. 28'81 
Sulphate of lime 2'05 
Chloride of sodium (common salt) 13'39 
Bisulphate of soda 30'G9 
Insoluble siliceous matter (sand) 15' 20 
100-00 
Nitrogen "06 
Equal to ammonia "07 
The proprietor of the British Economical IVIanures states in 
his prospectus that \\ to 1^ cwt. per acre has been found in 
results equal to 3 cwt. of the best Peruvian guano, and cautions 
farmers not to apply more than 1\ to \\ cwt. to the acre. This 
caution is very appropriate, for a compound like the Economical 
Manure, which contains no intrinsically valuable fertilising 
matter, and which is a mixture of cheap saline matter with 
green vitriol — a constituent inimical to vegetation — is certain 
to do injury if it be used in quantities in which Peruvian guano 
and other concentrated artificial manures are usually employed. 
In corroboration of the above, the following analysis of another 
sample of the same manure, which was sent by M. G. W. Hicks, 
Hillgrove, Wells, Somerset, may be quoted : — 
Moisture 11-84 
Crystallised sulphate of iron 20'92 
Sulphate of lime 2-81 
Chloride of sodium 13'77 
Sulphate of soda 37'30 
Sand 13-36 
100-00 
Nitrogen traces 
Both samples are worthless as manure. 
Many samples of superphosphate, which contain either no 
