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The statistics concerning the importation of fertilizers into New Zealand have been compiled and published in the Journal of Agriculture as usual. Samples of a number of export shipments of meat-works manures have been analysed for the exporters, in order to comply with the purchasers' requirements of a Government certificate of the quality of each consignment. Reputed Fertilizers and Phosphate Rocks. None of the specimens forwarded for examination during the, year was found to have any commercial value. Eleven samples of reputed guanos collected at White Island by Mr. Grange, of the Geological Survey, were analysed for fertilizer constitutents, with results which showed no sample to contain more than 3.44 per cent, phosphoric acid, or 0-49 per cent, nitrogen, while in most of the samples the amounts were much lower. Limestones and Limes. Eighty-eight samples of limestones and limes were examined and reported on during the year. Included in the number were samples of commercial ground limestones, which were found to be generally satisfactory in quality and fineness of grinding. Several samples of quicklime were also submitted. Following are brief notes on some of the more useful samples received : — X/ 16-17, from the Chatham Islands, were calcareous breccias, containing 90-3 per cent, and 90-4 per cent, carbonate of lime, respectively. X/ 231 was a useful shelly grit from Otane, Hawke's Bay ; it contained 80 per cent, carbonate of lime, and was suitable for application to the land without further treatment. X/ 241, from Patarau River, Nelson, was an easily-pulverized calcareous sinter of high grade (95-5 per cent, carbonate of lime). X/ 242, from the same locality as X 241, was a hard yellow limestone, 91 per cent, pure, that would be excellent for " burning "to quicklime. X/ 246 was a friable shelly rubble from Te Aute, Hawke's Bay, containing 90'5 per cent, carbonate of lime. X/ 329, a soft calcareous sinter containing only traces of impurities, was from Marton Block, Apiti. X/ 399 was a coarse rubble containing 8l per cent, carbonate of lime. By screening off the larger lumps a very useful product could be obtained. This sample was sent from Maraetotara, Havelock North. X/ 502, from Iron Point, Hicks Bay, was a very hard, semicrystalline stone containing 91 per cent, carbonate of lime. X/ 541, from Whatutu, Poverty Bay, was a calcareous grit of exceptional purity (96.5 per cent, carbonate), which would require no treatment other than drying, if necessary, before application to the land. X/ 761, found at Greenmeadows, near Napier, was a friable shelly rubble containing 83-5 per cent, carbonate of lime. X/ 843, an easily crushed stone from Geraldine, Canterbury, contained 80-25 per cent, carbonate of lime. X/ 1099-1100 were from Manurewa, Auckland. The first, said to be present in unlimited quantity, contained 81-5 per cent., while the second, of which only a limited amount was apparent, contained the high proportion of 95-5 per cent, carbonate of lime. X/ 1083 was a calcareous sinter from Patoka, Hastings : it contained 97 per cent, carbonate of lime. Investigation of Wheat and its Products. Fifty-three samples of wheat were treated in the experimental mill this year, these including the samples from the 1926 harvest, which were not milled last year. The average yield of flour was very satisfactory, that for the 1927 harvest being slightly higher than for the previous year. In general the wheats were excellent in appearance; no samples were more difficult to mill than the average, while several were easier. In the investigation of the flours produced from these wheats the average protein content was found to be markedly higher in the 1926 series than in those of 1927. The results of the work were published in the Journal. The composition of New Zealand bran and pollard has been investigated, samples of commercial products being compared with the products of the Department's experimental mill. Details of the work were published in the Journal. Toxicological. Seventeen specimens of ingesta and organs from animals suspected of having been poisoned were submitted for examination. In several instances of mortality in pigs suspicious amounts of sodium chloride (common salt) were found in the stomach-contents. Strychnine was found in one case, powdered nux vomica having apparently been administered in mistake for a harmless drug to the animal (a dog). Work for the Departmental Divisions. Work done for the Live-stock Division has included the periodical testing of the strength of public cattle-dips from the Auckland and Taranaki districts, over two hundred samples having been examined and reported on. Materials for the use of field officers in making dip-side tests have been supplied as required. The investigation of the wool-branding fluids on the New Zealand market, relative to complaints that brands could not be removed by the usual scouring processes, has been completed. No tar or other undesirable materials were found in the twenty-two samples examined. Scouring-tests showed that when the fluid was not too heavily applied it was easily removed, but where the thick pigment from the bottom of the can was used a hard mass, more or less difficult to disintegrate by the usual scouring method, resulted. In such cases the wool could readily be freed from the pigment by brief immersion in a suitable solvent, such as carbon tetrachloride or benzene. A number of proprietary medicinal preparations for live-stock were also analysed and reported on.

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