12 



basic open-heai-th process has not j'et foinul any general 

 application for fertilizing purposes. 



This slag is produced in large quantities both at Bir- 

 mingham and Gadsden, and should constitute an im])ortant 

 economic source of supply of phosphoric acid, if the final 

 results of investigations as to its availabilit}^ should prove 

 satisfactory. .. • • 



The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company has 

 placed a considerable quantity oi this material at the dis- 

 posal of this department, and already considerable work 

 has been done in connection with laboratory tests of its 

 availability, while further practical field, tests as to availa- 

 bility will also be carried out during the coming season. 



During the fall some experimental, , and demonstration 

 work was performed, as herjetofore, in the manufacture of 

 syrup from sugar cane, and this oi^ice has answered many 

 inquiries which have been received, with reference to im- 

 proved methods in the manufacture of this important agri- 

 cultural product. 



The fertilizer work of the past season showed a consider- 

 able increase over that of the preceding year, the number 

 of analyses, including duplicates, being well in excess of 

 2,000. The results of these analyses were reported as usual 

 in the annual fertilizer bulletin issued Jby the State De- 

 partment of Agriculture, and. in addition^ a considerable 

 anwunt of descriptive matter relating to the composition, 

 sources and properties of the fertilizing materials marketed 

 in the State was included in the same bulletin. 



Besides the fertilizer work alluded to, this department 

 has made analyses of a large number of specimens of mis- 

 cellaneous materials sent iii from different portions of the 

 State, including marls, phosphates, ores, waters, feed stuffs, 

 etc. Very respectfully, 



B. B. Ross. 

 . . Chemist. 



