Quarterly Reports of the Cliemical Committee. 
323 
<iet ail analysis of it from you. The price of it is 11. per ton. Before dis- 
closing who it is, I wish to let hira see what you have sent me, as I do not 
wish to expose him if he settles fairly, otherwise I shall ask you to give as 
much publicity to it as possible. 
" Yours faithfully, with thanks, 
« * * * * 
" A. VoELCKER, Esq." 
2. A sample of nitrate of soda sent from Shropshire had the 
following composition : — 
Moisture 3*49 
Chloride of sodium (common salt) 23"25 
Other impurities I'Ol 
Pure nitrate of soda 72-25 
100-00 
Supposing good commercial nitrate of soda guaranteed to 
contain 95 per cent, of pure nitrate to cost 14/. a ton, this 
sample — which contained 23^ per cent, of common salt — would 
be worth only lOZ. 13s. per ton. 
Instead of the required information, the purchaser sent the 
following note : — 
« May 14th, 1879. 
" Sir, — The agent I had the nitrate from came here, and we took a sample* 
which we sealed up, and he took it to the analyst for the Shropshire Chamber 
of Agriculture, and sent me his analysis, which I enclose. He has sown four 
tons of it on his farm. The only difference that I know of in the samples 
was that what I sent you was all fine ; and the other was more in lumps. 
Would that account for the difference in the quantity of salt ? 
" I am. Sir, yours truly, 
CC * * * * '» 
The following is a copy of the analysis referred to : — 
Moisture 2-40 
Chloride of sodium 1-58 
Nitrate of soda 96-02 
100-00 
An excellent sample. 
Attention is directed to the fact that the vendor took a more 
lumpy sample for analysis than the one which the purchaser 
sent to the Society's Laboratory. If common salt had been 
mixed with the nitrate of soda, the salt would not amalgamate 
with the lumps of genuine and good commercial nitrate of soda, 
but become mixed with the finer portions, and hence a good 
sample might be drawn whilst another sample taken from the 
finer portion of the contents of the same bag might prove to be 
adulterated with common salt. 
In reply to repeated applications for fuller information and 
Y 2 
