546 
versal neglect on the part of the persons sending them to 
exercise proper care in taking samples and shipping them 
to the station. Contrary to the general impression this is. 
nota * control station” and has no authority to take sam- 
ples, so that all analyses made are for the accommodation 
of private parties. Noanalyses of fertilizer, are therefore 
watertaleen when they conflict with the regular station 
work. 
In regard to the samples received it is sufficient to say 
that not one-half of them are accompanied by an adequate 
description, and not more than one in ten are both described 
and shipped in a proper manner. : 
At one time six samples were sent in glass cans, these: 
being placed together in a wooden box with no packing. 
When received five of the cans were broken and the con- 
tents mixed. 
Another party sent two samples in a canvass bag, with 
the statement that the portion in the top of the bag was of 
one kind and that in the bottom of the bag another. 
Three sxmples were sent in paper bags, all being placed 
together in a paper sack. When received all of the pack- 
ages were broken, the contents mixed and mostly lost. 
Another sample was sent through the mail done up in 
paper and attached to a postal card, the whole package 
weighing one ounce, including the card. The sender wished 
an immediate reply giving the analysis and value per ton. 
Many more illustrations of the careless manner in which 
samples are sent might be given, but the above are suff- 
cient. 
There have been in all ten samples examined during the 
year, none of which are of general interest, except, pos- 
sibly, the following : 
Moisture. Total phos- Potash 
phoric acid K,0. 
Canada unleached ashes 7.30 2.81 6.50 
Muriate of potash 50.00 
Canadian apatite contained 93.65 per cent. of calcium 
phosphate. 
——_—_—____ 
LYSIMETER. 
The results of the analyses of water from the three 
lysimeters are still confusing, and no attempt is made to 
disctixe them. Before they can be satisfactorily explained 
more must be learned concerning the movement of water 
in the soil. 
We give on opposite page the figures in full for the past. 
season and a summary of those for preceding years. 
