324 Quarterly Reports of the Chemical Committee. 
invoice, the purchaser declined to accede to the request in the 
following letter : — 
" Sir, — I should have returned the form at once if I had intended to fill it 
up; but I object to having my name published in the ' Journal,' as I have 
seen other farmers' in connection with samples sent to be analysed. According 
to your way of taking a sample, the one I sent is not a fair one, as it was taken 
from the top of two bags, and mixed together ; but nitrate of soda, I should 
think, ought to be genuine whether taken from the top or middle of a bag. 
" Of course I go by your analysis, and it depends on how I am met by the 
agent as to whether 1 deal with him again in any way. 
"I am. Sir, yours truly, 
" Dr. Voelcker." " * * * * 
4. A sample of nitrate of soda sent by Mr. J. L. Baker, 
Hargrave, near Kimbolton, bought at Liverpool, at 13Z. a ton, 
on analysis had the following composition : — 
Moisture 4-40 
Chloride of sodium 35 '00 
Other impurities -55 
Pure nitrate of soda 60'05 
100-00 
In comparison with good nitrate of soda, guaranteed to 
contain 95 per cent, of pure nitrate of soda, and selling at 13Z. 
a ton, the sample sent by Mr. Baker containing only 60 per 
cent, of pure nitrate and as much as 35 per cent, of common 
salt, was worth 8Z. 45. 2d. per ton. 
Four tons of the nitrate of soda were bought by Mr. J. L. 
Baker from a neighbouring farmer and manure agent, whose 
name he declined to give, and who stated that he purchased the 
nitrate in question of another dealer, and that he sold it to 
Mr. Baker at about 5s. per ton profit. The vendors, on being 
communicated with, replied as follows: — 
" Anerlc}', May 30th, 1879. 
" Dear Sik, — We have not sold Baker any nitrate of soda, nor warranted 
any 95 per cent. What we supply may or may not contain 95 or more than 
that. We never sell by analysis, because what security is there that the 
analysis would represent what we sent? 
" When goods are sent by analysis a sample is taken at the time of sale in 
2vesence of both buyer and seller or their agents, and there and then sealed up 
and sent to a chemist which both parties approve, otherwise persons would 
often attempt to defraud, as they have done before. 
" Dr. Voelcker's remarks are stupid. He says, suppose the nitrate of soda 
to be worth 13?., the price was and is 141. 10s., and then the valuation, 
SI. 4s. 2d., is absurd, there could be none so low. We have nothing to do 
with the case ; but if we were you, we should tell Baker that you did not 
guarantee 95, and if you did, the analysis was not done at the time of sale, 
and under the circumstances before mentioned. 
" Yours truly, 
(Signed) " Hale and Co." 
