853 
AdvlteraHon of MmivreR mid Feedhui Sfvfs. 
Wilson, Dr. Janies Bell, C.B., F.R.S., Mr. J. F. Rotton, Q.C., Mr. 
F. A. Channing, M.P., Mr. Peter McLagan, M.P., and Mr. Albert 
Pell. Amongst the documentary evidence laid before the Com- 
mittee was a Memorandum, prepared by the Chemical Committee of 
the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, on the action taken 
by the Society for the repression of the adulteration of manures and 
feeding stuffs. This Memorandum is printed in full in the present 
volume of the Journal (Vol. III., 3rd series. Part II., pp. 349-3.53). 
The Report* of the Committee, dated October 27, 1892, issued 
in the form of a Blue Book, states that while no very reliable sta- 
tistics are available as to the quantity of home-manufactured 
manures consumed in the United Kingdom, members of the trade 
estimate the consumption at about 570,000 tons [presumably per 
annum]. 
The quantities and values of manures and fertilisers imported 
into the United Kingdom from abroad in the five years, 1886-1890, 
were as follow : — 
Year 
Quantity 
Value 
tons 
£ 
1886 
417,133 
1,475,737 
1887 
431,066 
1,166,237 
1888 
451,441 
1,207,419 
1889 
484,731 
1,335,856 
1890 
523,836 
1,510,122 
The above figures do not include the imports of nitrate of soda 
(which is entered in the Customs Returns as cubic nitre), nor those 
of sulphate of ammonia. 
The prices at which manures are sold are supposed to be based 
upon their fertilising ingredients, viz., phosphoric acid, nitrogen, and 
potash. There is a preponderance of evidence to the effect that a 
con.siderable amount of fraudulent dealing (especially in the case of 
compound manures) exists, and that there is a system of selling un- 
guaranteed and comparatively worthless articles at an excessive 
price. These frauds, however, are less practised than formerly, and 
have a tendency to diminish. In view of this state of things, the 
Committee express the opinion that, in the interests of agriculture, 
some legislation is desirable, which shall render it more easy for the 
purchaser to ascertain the real value of the article he is being 
supplied with. 
The term “ feeding stuffs ’’ is employed to comprise all the 
various kinds of cakes and meals used for feeding stock, including 
linseed cakes, cotton-seed cakes, rape-seed cakes, mixed cakes, com- 
pound cakes, feeding cakes, wheat meal, barley meal, oatmeal, and 
' lleport of the Departmental Committee a])pomted hij the Board of Agri- 
culture to inquire into the Adnlteratio7) of Artificial Manures, and Fertilisers, 
and Feeding Stvfi's used in Agriculture : with Minutes of Evidence and Appen- 
dices. Pages XX + 1()4. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1892. [C. — 6712.1 
Price 1*. 6rf. 
