25()  Annual  Report  for  li)()4  of  the  Consulting  Chemist. 
6.  Sulphate  of  Potash. 
When  purchasing  sulphate  of  potash  for  inanurial  use,  and 
when  it  is  intended  to  employ  this  mixed  with  ammoniacal 
materials  like  sulphate  of  ammonia,  Peruvian  guano,  &c.,  it  is 
advisable  to  remember  that,  in  addition  to  the  natural  salt 
obtained  from  the  potash  mines  in  North  Germany  (Stassfurt), 
there  is  another  kind  of  sulphate  of  potash  in  commerce  which 
is  obtained  as  the  pi’oduct  of  certain  manufacturing  processes. 
This  latter  contains  a certain  amount  of  carbonate  of  potash  in 
addition  to  the  sulphate  of  potash,  and  though  this  is  immaterial 
if  the  salt  be  used  by  itself,  yet  it  will  not  do  for  mixing  with 
sulphate  of  ammonia,  Peruvian  guano,  or  other  ammoniacal 
materials,  as  some  loss  of  ammonia  may  then  arise. 
C.  Miscellaneous  Materials. 
White  Lead. 
It  is  desirable  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  “white  lead,” 
properly  called,  is  basic  carbonate  of  lead,  as  made  by  the  old 
or  “Dutch”  process,  but  that  another  material,  which  is  some- 
times sold  under  the  name  of  “English  white  lead,”  is  made  by 
another  process,  and  is  not  carbonate  of  lead,  but  sulphate  of 
lead.  The  superiority  of  the  former  consists  in  the  better 
“covering  power”  which  it  possesses.  The  use  of  the  term 
“white  lead”  as  applied  to  the  latter  article  is,  to  say  the  least, 
misleading,  and  purchasers  intending  to  get  the  carbonate 
should  stipulate  for  “pure  white  lead.” 
Remarking  on  the  importance  of  paying  attention  to  the 
obtaining  of  genuine  white  lead  and  pure  linseed  oil  for  estate 
work,  a correspondent  writes  to  me : “ I am  so  satisfied  as  to 
this  that  I make  special  efforts  to  obtain  them,  and  the  broad 
result  has  been  that,  whereas  under  the  old  system  of  entering 
into  contracts  with  painters  to  find  all  labour  ami  materials,  I 
had  to  paint  every  three  years,  under  the  present  regulations  I 
select  all  materials,  and  I find  it  necessary  only  to  renew  the 
painting  every  six  years.” 
A large  number  of  samples  of  cider  and  perry  were  analysed 
in  connection  with  the  Society’s  Exhibition  at  Park  Royal  in 
the  summer,  the  results  being  made  use  of  when  awarding  the 
prizes  in  the  several  classes. 
The  following  is  a list  of  the  samples  analysed  for  members 
of  the  Society  between  December  1st,  1903,  and  November 
30th,  1904 
