The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-03 00:00:00

Agricultural Chemistry,

M. Boussingault, whose important labours in
scientific agriculture are well known to our readers,
attributes, in the 33 volume of his " Agronomie,
Caimie Agricole et Physiologie," just published, to
the oxalic acid contained ir. guano, qualities hitherto
overlooked by other chemists. If, he observes,
guano be treated by water, and the solution be
immediately filtered, crystals of neutral oxalate
of ammonia will be deposited by evaporation ; the
mother-ley thin contains sulphate and phosphate
of ammonia; but if, instead of filtering, the
mixture. lie left to digest for some time, the case
is quite different; the oxalic acid goes on dimi-
nishing in the liquid as the digestion proceeds,
and phosphoric acid is formed instead ; after 24
hours, this acid and the ammonia are in sufficient
quantity to form an abundant precipitate of phos-
pate of ammonia and magnesia, when a solution of
sulphate of ammonia is poured in. The phosphate
of ammonia is produced by the oxalate, which, being
dissolved, acts upon the phosphate of lime ; hence,
by double decomposition, we obtain a soluble
phosphate of ammonia and an insoluble oxalate
of lime. From this our author concludes that
the oxalic acid of guano is a principle of far greater
importance than has hitherto been supposed.
Both earthy and ammoniacal guano he considers
to have the same origin ; but in OA former
the disappearance of ammonia is probably due
to local circumstances, such as the abundance and
frequency of rain, which naturally favours the de-
composition of organic substances and the dissolu-
tion of ammoniacal salts. And indeed that part of
the South Sea coast where ammoniacal guano is
found, offers this peculiarity that from Tumbes to
the desert of Atacama rain is almost unknown,
while in the parts not comprised between these
limits, north of Tumbes, in the impenetrable and
marshy frorests of the C.oco, it rains almost inces-
santly. At Pay ta,south of that province, it had not
rained for 17 years, at the time M. Boussingault was
there; and further south, at Chocope, in 7 deg.
46 min. S. lat., the rain which fell in 1726 was men-
tioned as a memorable event. Nor are there any
storms on this Peruvian coast. An inhabitant of
Para or Sechura does not know what thunder is,
unless he has travelled. This is the zone within
which ammoniacal guava is found; north and south
of this zone, guano, exposed as it is to tropical
showers, g. nerally contains no ammonia or soluble
salts, but retains an unsoluble one, phosphate of
lime. This third volume of M. Boussingault's work
contains much interesting matter concerning climate,
temperature, &c., chiefly comprising the results of
the author's own experience and accurate observa-
tion.

Foreign Mail Packet List.

MAILS DUE.

estralia and Mauritius, via Southampton....... June 18.

. .
via Marseilles June 12.
Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. June 5.
;ape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena. , Juno 29.
Mina, Penang, and Singapore, via Suuthampton.June 2
via Marseilles June 12,
e'alkland Islands

k_iibraltar, via Southampton June 2.
indict Caleutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton June 2
via Marseilles June 12.
India (Bombay), via Southampton June ll
via Marseilles Jane 5.

Portugal...... ....
'Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton June 2.
..... via Marseilles June 5.
June 8.
Newfoundland .. . 4
2frporto and Vigo • •
U. S. and British N. Ainall;'-:.% 14 Brit. packet.... June 8,
,'••••, U.S. packet....
. _ by
~
s 6azadianpacket.June 3.
All parts of West Indies, including Chili, ..
California. and British Columbia.. t.:'ru' }Jane 10

DEATH OF SIRJOHN WATSON GORDON,P.R.S.A
AND R.A.—The announcement of the death of Sir
John Watson Gordon, which took place at Edinburgh, on
Wednesday, will be universally received as that of a far
more than local, of a truly national, loss. President of the
Royal Scottish Academy, and member of the Royal
Academy, the honour due to his unrivalled eminence in his
especial department of his art was not less freely, nor
with less pride in his genius, paid in England than in his
native country, to which he, during his whole life, so
lovingly and so beneficently clung. John Watson Gordon
was born in Edinburgh some 74 years ago. He studied at
the Academy of Trustees for the Encouragement of Manu-
facture
in Edinburgh. He early turned his attention to
that branch of his art in which he has achieved so high a
reputation. He first exhibited in the Royal Academy in
1827, continuing to do so up to the present exhibition.
In 1841 he was elected associate, and in 1851 member
of the Royal Academy. He has filled the chair of Presi-
dent of the Royal Scottish Academy, which owes to him
so much of its vitality and its position, since the death of Sir
W. Allan, in 1850. In that year, also, he was appointed
limner to her Majesty, for Scotland, on which occasion he
received the honour of knighthood. Sir John was unmar-
ried.—Scotsman.

A NEW GIGANTIC BALLOON.—Mt. Comell has
just completed a new balloon, which is somewhat
larger than the one in which ho has made the high ascents,
in company with Mr. Glaisher. Like its celebrated prede-
cessor, the present machine has been constructed at Tot-
tenham—this time under canvas, on the aeronaut's pre-
mises, and we may add entirely from Mr. Coxwell's own
resources, both 'as regards artistic and pecuniary ability,
There is a peculiarity about this balloon which admits of a
vast increase of capacity, should enlargement be at any time
necessary, in order to compete with continental " Geants."
This novelty consists of the telescopic elongation, so to
speak, of the balloon, by means of indiarubber cloth intro-
duced when required into the equator. Messrs. Fantle. we
and Jacques, of the Tottenham Indiarubber Works,
are trying a few experiments to ascertain which is the most
suitable material for Mr Cox well's purpose; and they have
permitted their designer, Mr Williams, to attend to Mr.
Coxwell's requirements, and also to execute an immense
figure of Britannia, as a specimen decoration to the balloon,
to be transferred thereupon when it shall have achieved its
first ascent. The magnificent addition to aeloptatic art will
be inflated in the centre transept of the Crystal Palace, on
the 6th, 7th, and Bth inst. It is rumoured that the novel
idea of a concert inside the balloon is to be carried into effect
each day during the exhibition. An engine of two-horse
power will keep up a continual supply of fresh air, so that
the orchestral department may net be inconvenienced.
Some interesting experiments on the propagation of sound
will be connected with this balloon concert, and thus, like
most of Mr Coxwell's undertakings, amusement will be
ass-)ciated with science.—lottenhans Adverttser, June 1.

MADRID, Ally 31.—AdvicEs from Peru state that
the Government of that country seemed disposed to
give satisfaction to Spain.