And the “ Great Carolina Marl Bed.” 45 
The time is not far distant when the Ashley Marl 
will be extensively quarried, and as much sought 
after by the planter and farmer as the Phosphates are 
at the present day. It will be used preparatory to a 
top dressing of Superphosphates. 
ON THE USE OF RAW OR GROUND PHOS- 
PHATE-ROCK AS & BPERTILIZER. 
Since the discovery of the Phosphate-rock Basins, 
a number of companies have been organized for Min- 
ing, Grinding, and Manufacturing the raw material 
into Fertilizers or Superphosphates, by subjecting the 
finely pulverized rock to the action of Sulphuric Acid, 
thereby rendering it more soluble in water and more 
easily assimilated by the plant; the raw material 
being held by chemists as zzsoluble in its original or 
present state. The Superphosphates, or prepared 
rocks, are costly, they require a large outlay of capi- 
tal in machinery and buildings for their manipulation, 
and hence other companies have been formed with 
the design of simply grinding the rock into a fine 
powder and placing it upon the market in that condi- 
tion; leaving it to the agriculturist to select as he 
pleases the vaw or the cooked (super) Phosphates, 
knowing that the raw material though greatly 
cheaper (?) is slow in its effects, but will gradually 
afford a supply of food to the crops, its fertilizing prop- 
