345 
oleic acids of butter differ in some way from the same acids 
derived from other sources, as an amount of either of these 
acids equivalent to that contained in one of the above tests 
would give a soap more viscous than the butter. It is prob- 
able that the acids of butter are isomers of those from other 
fats. ! 
The only oils examined whose soaps are not rendered 
more viscous by the addition of alkali are castor oil and 
cocoanut oil, the change in these being very slight. The 
investigation of this subject is by no means complete, but 
it is thought best to present the results thus far obtained. 
So long as my trials were confined to a few butters, mostly 
from the station, I supposed that the method was capable 
of detecting adulterations with oleo-oil or neutral lard 
which would not exceed one or two per cent. The large 
variations shown in later tests present this. I believe, 
however, that it provides a simple and expeditious means 
for the detection of commercial adulterations, and that it 
will show as small a proportion of adulterations as any 
method at present employed. 
The butters which I have been able to obtain may not 
show the extreme variation, but I think that no genuine 
butter will be found that will form a soap with 15 and 20 
c.c. of potash solution exceeding in viscosity 90 and 400 re- 
spectively. | 
The butterine and oleomargarine whose tests are given 
were obtained from leading manufacturers and dealers, and 
were of the best quality. The tests given above are only a 
few from a large number made, but selected because they 
are the only ones that have been tested in the same way as 
the butters. . In no case, however, has a les3 viscosity been 
found for butterine or oleomargarine than is given in the 
table. 
I propose to repeat these tests using soda instead of potash 
for saponifying the fats. As a much less soluble soap will 
be obtained in this way, it is not improbable that the dif- 
ference in the viscosity of the solutions may be greatly 
exaggerated. 
FERTILIZERS. 
The station receives a number of fertilizers each year 
from parties desiring analyses and valuations. Compara- 
tively few of these are examined at all. Onaccount of this 
much dissatisfaction is evinced by parties who think them- 
selves aggrieved. This usually arises either from a mis- 
understanding of the authority and obligations of the sta- 
tion in regard to fertilizer analyses or from the almost uni- 
