30 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



many hop and fruit growers as a substitute for farmyard 

 manure, 1 ton of good shoddy being regarded as equal to 10 

 tons of manure. It should be applied early in the winter and 

 ploughed or dug in as soon as possible. 



PHOSPHATIC FERTILIZERS. 



Superphosphate is usually made from mineral phosphates, 

 or coprolites, ground finely and treated with sulphuric acid to 

 render it soluble. It is in the form of a grey friable powder 

 containing phosphates in variable quantities, usually varying 

 between 20 and 40 per cent., 36 per cent, being about the 

 standard. The price is governed by the amount of phosphates 

 which are soluble. It is an acid manure and is most suitable 

 for application to calcareous and loamy soils, or any which 

 contain a fair proportion of carbonate of lime. When used on 

 heavy clays, or on sands, gravels, or peats deficient in lime its 

 use should always be preceded by liming. It is most effective 

 when applied in the autumn but is very useful in spring. 



Use 4 to 6 cwts. per acre, or 1| to 2| ozs. per square yard. 



Limphos is a new fertilizer containing 40 per cent, phos- 

 phates, a part of which is immediately available whilst the 

 remainder becomes gradually soluble during the growing 

 season and so feeds the plant continuously. It also contains 35 

 per cent, of lime, which makes it additionally valuable for use 

 in conjunction with fertilizers which require lime as a base 

 before they can become effective. \ 



Use 3 to 5 cwts. per acre, or 1 to 2 ozs. per square yard. 



Basic Slag is a by-product obtained in iron and steel smelting 

 processes. It comes on the market in the form of a dense 

 black powder, and as its value largely depends upon the fineness 

 to which it is ground it should be guaranteed to have passed 

 through a seive containing 10,000 holes to the square inch. It 

 should contain at least from 17 to 20 per cent, soluble phos- 

 phates, besides 40 to 50 per cent, lime, 14 per cent, iron, and 

 5 to 6 per cent, magnesia. On heavy or peaty soils it is much 

 better than superphosphate, providing sufficient moisture is 

 present; on dry soil it is practically useless. It is slow in 

 action and should always be applied in autumn. 



Use 5 to 10 cwts. per acre, or 2 to 4 ozs. per square yard. 



