April 2, 1894.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
661 
The following is a comparison of Colombo 
and Kandy water supplies, with English water 
supplies, in the matter of free or saline and 
albuminoid ammonia : — 
Free and 
Albumen- 
saline 
oid 
ammonia. 
ammonia. 
Grains 
Grains 
per gallon. 
per gallon. 
Average for 34 English 
towns, together with 
Edinburgh, Dublin, and 
Swansea 
•0007 
■0042 
Average for the eight Lon- 
don water supplies 
■0007 
•0039 
Average tor the Colombo 
water during 1891. 
•0010 
■0050 
Kandy water supply, a sin- 
gle sample, 1891 
•0014 
■0035 
Labugama reservoir in time 
of drought 8th March 1888 : 
From 12 feet below surface 
•0001 
■0088 
>, 24 „ 
•0064 
•0094 
». 36 „ 
•0252 
•0094 
48 „ 
•0491 
•0094 
,, scouring sluice 59 feet 
below surface 
•0532 
•0106 
Colombo Drainage Water. 
The following is the analysis of a sample of 
drainage water from a canal in Colombo, after 
It has received the waste -water, from a coir 
hbre and desiccated coconut works. The water 
had a black appearance and a disagreeable smell. 
Waste water from coconut product works 
contains both an organic principle of the nature 
of tannin, and also sulpliur compounds. The 
former meeting with the iron in the canal water, 
natural to Colombo surface waters, pioduces a 
dark fluid of the nature of diluted ink. The 
following are the analytical results : — 
Grains 
per gallon. 
... 88^2 
... 28^7 
... 595 
... 4416 
•410 
•560 
•Oil 
•339 
1743 
8^590 
Total solids 
Organic matters ... 
Mineral matters ... ,,\ \\\ 
Chlorine = common salt ... 
Sulphur 
Iron ... '*" "' 
Free and saline ammonia 
Albuminoid ammonia ... *" 
Equal to albuminoid matter ... .'. 
Oxygen absorbed from potassium per- 
manganate in fifteen minutes at 
ordinary temperature 
riiih water differs in several respects from 
ordinary town sewage, and notably in the com- 
paratively small amount of free ammonia it 
contains The large amount of o.xygen absorbed 
shows that the water contains a large amount of 
decomposing organic matter. 
Water m wliich coconut husks have been steep- 
ed lias usually a very offensive smell owing to the 
presence of suli)huretted hydrogen or of sulpho- 
carbon compounds ; but this disagreeable smell 
anses trom the fact that the water in which husks 
are steeped is usually of a brackish character, 
such operations being usually carried on on back- 
waters that communicate with the sea. It is 
owing to the sulphates in such waters being 
leUuced by the organic matter of the husk that 
the ausagieeable smell of sulphur compounds is 
<lue. Ihe same result is produced when well 
waters containijig bulpbates are used. 
5-0 
•3 
none 
1-5 
5^0 
Distilled water in which a husk had been 
steeped for several days had a brown colour 
but no unpleasant smell, and when husks were 
treated with Labugama water, which is almost 
free from sulphates, the resulting liquid had a 
smell which could scarcely be called disagreeable. 
This water differs much in character from that 
of the sewage water of a large European town. 
The following determinations by Mr. R. S. 
Thomson, F.I.C, exhibit the important char- 
acteristics from a sanitary point of view of the 
composition of an average sample of sewage 
deduced from numerous analy.ses of sewage, prin- 
cipally that of Glasgow ; but including also 
that of Leeds, Totenham, Sheffield, Aylesburg 
and Bradford. 
Standard Analysis of Sewage. (THOMSON.) 
Grains per Gal. 
Free and .saline ammonia 
Albuminoid ammonia 
Nitrates and Nitrites 
Oxygen absorbed in one hour 
Chlorine 
Mr. Thomson uses the figure 5 in the above 
analysis representing the amount of free ammonia 
in fresh sewage as an index to the proportion of 
sewage in water proved to be polluted. The nitric 
and nitrous acids in polluted water are due to 
the oxidation of ammonia. Hence he calculates 
the amount of ammonia equivalent to the nitric 
and nitrous acids present, and this added to the 
free ammonia found he calls " free ammonia ori- 
ginally present." With these data the following 
sum in simple proportion gives approximately the 
percentage of sewage that has gained access to 
the polluted water. For illustration, let us 
suppose the polluted water on analysis was shown 
to have had -5 per cent of "free ammonia ori- 
ginally present." 
Grains per gallon Grains per gallon 
of free ammonia of free ammonia 
in sewage. originally present. 
5 : -5 : 
This water therefore contains 10 per cent of 
sewage. 
When the sewage contamination of Colombo 
well waters. No. 1 and No. 2 (page 658) is calcu- 
lated in this way from the analyses. No. 1 is 
shown to have been contaminated with 2-9 per 
cent, and No. 2 with no less than 11-5 per cent of 
sewage, a most undesirable state of matters. 
The Labugama water supply has happily deli- 
vered the inhabitants of Colombo from the 
necessity of drinkiuL' such contaminated water. 
100 per 
cent of 
sewage. 
100 : 10 
THK WOOD OF THE AMEKICAN TURPEN- 
TINE TREE. 
The valae of the American long-leaved Pine 
(Pinus australia) depends chietiy on its tarpentiue 
and timber, but the value of the latter, as set forth 
in a report to the Foreign Office, by the Consul at 
Pensacola, would seem to be so far in excess of any 
other timber, that it is worth recording. In tex ile 
strength it is stated to approach and perhaps sur- 
pass cast iron. In cross-breaking strength it rivals 
the Oak, requiring it is believed 10,000 lb. pressure 
per square inch to break it. In stiffness it is superior 
to Oak wood by .nO to 100 per cent. It is best adapted 
and much used for the constructjou of heavy worK iu 
ship-buildiug ; the inside and outside planking of 
vessels, taking the deals and planks of the oest 
quality. For house-buildiug it is used almost entirely 
iu these parts, and in buildings for railroads, rail- 
road cross-tics, viaducts, and trestles, this wood la 
foremost. The finer grades and the curly wood are 
very much used for the nicer and uujjaiutod wood 
in the best dwellings. Tbe hardness of this wood 
especially gt^ it {qi planks &od tiooriog. The finer 
