CHEMISTRY OF PASTURES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 31, 5 August 1930, Page 4

CHEMISTRY OF PASTURES

At a recent meeting of the chemical section of the Philosophical Society, Mr. A. 11. Sim gave an interesting paper entitled "Mineral Content of Pastures, with Special Kef erenec to Phosphorus." In earlier work, he said, a great deal of attention was paid to the energygiving constituents of pastures, but it was now realised that almost of equal importance from the point of view of animul nutrition was the presence of certain mineral constituents. Mr. Sim discussed the necessity of mineral substances to the living animal, and dealt with the diseases associated with lack of them. Special notice was given to the part played by phosphorus in the animal metabolism, and to diseases common in various parts of tlio world, e.g., in South Africa, where phosphorus is not present in sufficient amount in the pastures.

A further discussion took place on the formation of a New Zealand Institute of Chemistry} and a motion was passed that the committee set up previously be appointed to confer with those of other centres. >

Mr. W. H. Penseler gave a brief outline of the theory of base-exchange as applied to the roofs of coal mines and its influence on the class of coal.