Peruvian Guano. 203 
We thus see that bv moistening guano with water and leaving 
it for two days in this condition before extracting it with water, 
a small quantity of the insoluble phosphates was rendered soluble 
and passed into solution. The effect produced in the course of 
two days, however, was inconsiderable. A large quantity of the 
same guano therefore was drenched with water and kept in a 
wide-mouthed open bottle for three weeks. After 24 hours it 
gave off ammonia in abundance, and continued to do so during 
the whole time in which it was kept. At the end of three weeks 
a weighed quantity was exhausted with distilled water. It con- 
tained — 
Moisture 34*84 per cent. 
and yielded on combustion — 
Nitrogen .. 9*48 „ 
Equal to ammonia 11*51 „ 
In the watery solution I found — 
Tribasic phosphate of lime 1*53 ,, 
Phosphoric acid 4*04 ., 
Equal to tribasic phosphate of lime .. .. 8*76 ,, 
In the insoluble portion — 
Insoluble tribasic phosphate of lime .. .. 14*10 ., 
Oxalate of lime 4*69 „ 
In order to bring out more clearly the changes which the 
guano underwent in the period during which it was kept in a 
moistened state exposed to the air, the preceding results were 
calculated as follows, so as to adapt them to the normal condition 
of the guano ; when it contained 16 57 per cent, of water — 
Moisture 16*57 
Percentage of nitrogen 12*13 
Equal to ammonia 14*73 
Tribasic phosphate of lime in watery solution .. 1*96 
Phosphoric acid in watery solution .. .. " .. .. 5*10 
(Equal to tribasic phosphate of lime 11*06) 
Insoluble tribasic phosphate of lime 18*05 
Oxalate of lime 6*00 
These results compared with the original analysis show unmis- 
takably the injury which the guano sustained when kept in a 
thoroughly wet state for three weeks. The percentage of nitrogen 
has been reduced from 15*71 (equivalent to 19*07 per cent, of 
ammonia) to 12*13 (equivalent to 14*73 per cent, of ammonia). 
During the active fermentation, into which moistened guano 
rapidly enters, a portion of its organic constituents is changed 
into carbonate of ammonia, which gradually evaporates ; at the 
same time oxalic acid is produced ; this acid acts upon the 
insoluble phosphates and renders a portion soluble'. The decom- 
position of a portion of the organic matter and the subsequent 
loss of ammonia fully accounts for the larger amount of phos- 
phates which occurs in samples of damaged guano. In the case 
