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THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



operate in starting such experiments and to get such infor- 

 mation. 



President Rogers : The time is going fast, and we 

 want to question Dr. Jenkins while we have a chance. There 

 is still time for a few questions. I am sure he would be glad 

 to answer anybody, so I hope }0U will not hesitate abc-ut it. 



Mr. Platt : I wish the Doctor would tell me and the 

 rest what are the ingredients of basic slag? What is there 

 in it? 



Dr. Jenkins: It contains phosphate of lime in its com- 

 position, but the stuff is somewhat different from what we 

 call plain phosphate of lime. It also' has a high percentage of 

 iron, and it also has a large excess of lime, probably uncom- 

 bined. That we are not certain about, but in the basic slag 

 that you are putting on, if you can get the right quality, you 

 are putting on from fifteen to eighteen per cent of phosphoric 

 acid and about thirty-five per cent of lime. What seems to 

 be settled with regard to basic slag is that this phosphate of 

 lime does not turn into insoluble forms of phosphate, and 

 practically you are liming your land with about thirty-five per 

 cent of lime and from sixteen to eighteen per cent of a phos- 

 phate of lime. 



]\Ir. Ives : What is the need of using magnesia in our 

 soil ? Is that one of the agencies working to liberate plant 

 food ? 



Dr. Jenkins: It has that effect, but not, I think, any 

 more than lime. A certain amount of magnesia is just as 

 necessary as lime, but the crops take up a relatively small part 

 of it. Just what its particular function is we are uncertain. 

 Brooks suggested that the color oi fruit might be in some 

 way connected with the lime, but we are not satisfied as yet 

 about that. 



A Member: I would like to ask if it is necessary to use 

 this, and if we do, if it would do away with liming the soil, 

 and get rid of the acid in the soil? 



Dr. Jenkins: If it is necessary to get rid of the acid? 



A Member: Yes sir. 



