322 Quarterly Reports of the Chemical Committee. 
which have proved very destructive to vegetation in Cyprus, 
from the practical carrying out of which 1 expect satisfactory 
results. 
Insect plagues affecting the hops, and locusts and grass- 
hoppers, which have been injurious to vegetation in Australia, 
have engaged our attention, and reports on these insects have 
been supplied to members. 
The number of applications for information has greatly in- 
creased during the past year. 
The Seeds and Plant Diseases Committee have considered the 
question of encouraging the production of improved varieties 
of wheat, and the Council having accepted the proposals, and 
offered prizes for seed-wheat, the samples sent in for competi- 
tion have been distributed for experimental cultivation. 
XIX. — Quarterly Reports of the Chemical Committee. 
July, 1879. 
1. A sample of manure was sent from the neighbourhood of 
Croydon, which on analysis furnished the following results : — 
Moisture I'O'GO 
"Organic matter 14"19 
Phosphate of lime 2"05 
Oxide of iron and alumina 9 36 
Carbonate of lime 26-68 
Alkaline salts 2-61 
(including r08 of nitrate of soda) 
Insoluble siliceous matter (sand) 24'51 
100-00 
* Containing nitrogen -35 
Equal to ammonia -48 
It will be seen that this manure contained only 2 per cent, of 
phosphate of lime, 1 per cent, of nitrate of soda, and scarcely 
1 per cent, of ammonia ; the rest of the constituents have no 
intrinsic fertilising value, and the manure was scarcely con- 
centrated enough to repay the cost of carriage to any consider- 
able distance. In reply to the usual inquiries the purchaser 
wrote as follows : — 
« Croydon, April 2nd, 1879. 
" Dear Sir, — I am in receipt of your favour together with your analysis of 
the sample of manure I sent to you, which appears from that to be almost 
worthless. 
" It is called Blood Manure, and is made by a person who is somewhat an 
amateur at it, and from his representations as to results in former years, I 
was induced to try it, but not liking the appearance of it, I thought I would 
