306 , QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1898. 
work, and contains besides bench and draught cupboard, a powerful foot 
blowpipe-table for glass blowing. At the opposite end of the room a door 
Jeads into the balance-room. The balances—three of Oersling’s best analytical 
balances—are placed on specially firm stands with slate top. The woodwork 
of these stands goes without touching the floor straight into the ground, the 
stands being thus quite independent of the building and free from vibration. 
This room serves at the same time as study and reading-room, as several 
chemical publications and many of the most important standard works are kept 
there. 
Between this room and the lecture-room, and connected with both, is the 
office of the chemist in charge. 
On the other side of the hall is a store-room containing all the bulk 
chemicals and spare glassware, and also a well-fitted dark room for photographic 
and spectroscopic work. An excellent polariscope of the latest pattern is also 
kept in this room. 
In two show cases in the hall a collection of all the soils from various 
parts of the colony as prepared and analysed will be kept. 
A start with analytical work has been made, and the analyses of several 
samples of soil from the Government Experiment Orchard at Redland Bay are 
in hand now. Rather more time than usual is devoted to this work, as the 
samples are of special interest, being taken from land, both scrub and forest, 
for about fifteen years under cultivation, and from virgin land in the immediate 
neighbourhood. Samples of various parts of the colony will be collected and 
analysed in similar and absolutely uniform manner, and the results published 
from time to time. There is no doubt that by thus working uniformly the 
comparative value and merits of various soils will be distinctly shown, and any 
soil submitted for analysis afterwards can be judged by comparing it with soils 
of known properties. Of course other analytical work—such as feed stuffs, 
milk, butter, and other dairy products, water, and manures, &c.—will be carried 
out on similar lines. The latest and best apparatus for various classes of work 
has been imported direct from England. Stillmany pieces of special apparatus 
have to be added gradually as more money becomes available for this 
institution ; for instance, a small experimental mill for the testing of wheat, a 
miniature vacuum pan, &c., will soon be needed. Later on it will also be 
necessary to start experimental work like the carrying out of manuring 
experiments in pots, ahich will need a special plant. 
The gas with which the laboratory is supplied is derived from gasoline, 
made in a Martin’s automatic gas machine. This machine was erected by Mr. 
Dangerfield, of Hanby and Dangerfield, Ipswich, and gives fullest satisfaction. 
The water for the building is obtained from a 10,0C0-gallon tank placed 18 feet 
over the ground, and giving thus a fair pressure. The water for the tank is 
pumped up from a welland from the Lockyer. Four large galvanised-iron 
tanks at the corners of the building provide the necessary rain water. 
At present the personnel of the laboratory comprises only the chemist in 
charge and one assistant. The lectures and the superintendence of the 
practical work of the students absorb a large amount of the time of the chemist 
in charge, so that most of the analytical work will fall on the shoulders of the 
assistant. One of the advanced students has shown a special interest in 
chemistry, and spends most of his time in the laboratory, and begins already to 
be of some use. As the work increases, the staff will necessarily have to be 
enlarged. The building and rooms, however, are sufficiently large to allow the 
working of two or more assistants. 
