No. 4.] COMMERCIAL FEKTILIZEES. 143 



offered by a company at Worcester for $15 per ton; but in 

 large quantities it can be bought for somewhat less than that. 

 The quantity of phosphoric acid in a ton varies. Fifteen 

 per cent acid phosphate will contain abuut 13 per cent, or 

 200 pounds, of available ])]ii)S])horic acid per ton; but 15 

 per cent, or less than 15 per cent slag, will give you 15 per 

 cent available phosphoric acid, or 300 pounds available, be- 

 sides some insohible, and also a large amount of lime, which 

 is possibly of greater use in our soils than yours. At this 

 ])rice slag meal is a better proposition than the acid phos- 

 phate. 



The question has been asked about slag taking the place 

 of lime. If, instead of depending on acid phosphate, you will 

 depend on slag meal as a source of phosphoric acid, the soil 

 will continue in good condition as regards lime, and you 

 will not find it necessary to apply lime so often. 



Question. Have you determined the available phosphoric 

 acid in slag? 



Profess'or Brooks. Yes, we have \vorked at it in two ways, 

 using the methods which they employ in Europe, where they 

 have had much more experience than we have ; and those 

 methods show that we have about 15 per cent of available 

 phosphoric acid in the slag. I should say that it would be 

 safe, in general farming, to depend on slag. 



On motion, the thanks of the State Board of Agriculture 

 were extended to the Franklin County Agricultural Society, 

 to the Greenfield board of trade for their courtesies during 

 the meetings and banquet, and also to the local delegate, 

 Hon. Frank Gerrett, for his services in getting up the 

 meetings. 



The meeting was then adjourned sine die. 



In the afternoon, members of the Board and' others vis- 

 ited the memorial building and other interesting places in 

 the adjoining historic town of Deerfield. 



