A method of parallel dispensing of powder samples materials with an apparatus comprising at least two sample holders for containing powder samples, each said sample holder having a through passage parallel to the vertical axis, said through passage having a first aperture through which a powder sample is introduced into said passage and a second aperture through which a powder sample flows from said passage, flow control means for controlling flow of powder through each said second aperture, agitators for agitating a powder sample in each said sample holder during use thereof, wherein said flow control means comprises a resilient latex film sealing each of said second apertures, and each of said agitators comprises a stirrer mechanism, the stirrer mechanisms being mounted on a common support member whose reciprocal movement relative to a dispense location of sample holders effects reciprocal movement of the stirrer mechanisms relative to the sample holders, and movement of the stirrer mechanisms towards the sample holders inserts each stirrer mechanism substantially coaxially in the respective passages of the sample holders through said first apertures thereof and sufficiently through said second apertures to perforate said film, and said stirrer mechanisms comprise blades, brushes or wires mounted for rotation about an axis that, in use, is substantially coaxial with the axis of the passage in the respective sample holder, in order to impart a mixing action to the powder samples in the sample holders, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing at least two powder sample holders, each said sample holder having a through passage parallel to the vertical axis, said through passage having a first aperture through which powder is introduced into said passage and a second aperture through which powder, when permitted to do so, flows from said passage; b) introducing powder samples into respective sample holders; c) aligning said second aperture of each said holder with an aperture of a respective sample receptacle; and d) substantially simultaneously permitting powder to flow through said second apertures whilst agitating powder samples in said passages to aid their flow therefrom into respective receptacles; wherein said method further comprises sealing the second apertures of the sample holders prior to introduction therein of powder samples, which comprises stretching resilient latex film over each of the apertures and retaining the film relative to the respective sample holder to seal its second aperture and, in step d), perforating the film sealing each second aperture. a) providing at least two powder sample holders, each said sample holder having a through passage parallel to the vertical axis, said through passage having a first aperture through which powder is introduced into said passage and a second aperture through which powder, when permitted to do so, flows from said passage; b) introducing powder samples into respective sample holders; c) aligning said second aperture of each said holder with an aperture of a respective sample receptacle; and d) substantially simultaneously permitting powder to flow through said second apertures whilst agitating powder samples in said passages to aid their flow therefrom into respective receptacles;