NATIVE PHOSPHATE OF LIME. 199 



C. Native Phosphate of Lime or Apatite, — In some parts of the world; 

 a hard mineral substance, commonly known by the name of Apatite, 

 occurs in considerable quantity. It consists chiefly of a phosphate of 

 lime, which differs but slightly in its constitution from the earth of bones, 

 — containing 54|^ per cent, of lime, while the latter contains only 51|^ per 

 cent. Tlie composition of this mineral would lead us to expect it to 

 possess a favourable action upon vegetation, and this anticipation has 

 been confirmed by some experiments made with it on a limited scale by 

 Sprengel. — [Cheraie, I., p. 64.] 



It occurs occasionally in mineral veins, especially such as. are found 

 in the granitic and slate rocks. Masses of it are met with in Cumber- 

 land, in Cornwall, in Finland, in the iron mines of Arendahl in Nor- 

 way, and in many other localities. A variety of it distinguished by the 

 name of phosphorite is said to form beds at Schlachenwalde in Bohemia, 

 ^and in the province of Estremadura in Spain. From the last of these 

 localities being the most accessible, the time may come when the high 

 price of bones may induce our enterprising merchants to import it, for 

 the purpose of being employed in a finely powdered state as a fertilizer 

 of the land. 



