19 2 AGRICULTURAL ANALYSIS 



economy in crop production, is a matter that should appeal to 

 every practical farmer. 



Slag phosphate plots produced a greater yield and at a less 

 cost than the average of the soluble phosphoric acid plots and 

 the bone meal plots. All yields were produced at less cost with 

 slag phosphates than with bone meal. 43 



IX. While basic slag generally should not be mixed with mate- 

 rials containing nitrogen in organic forms such as dried blood, 

 ground bone, dried fish or tankage, many highly desirable and 

 splendid combinations of it with nitrate of soda and potash salts 

 may be made. 



By varying the amount of nitrate of soda and potash salts mixed 

 with the slag, fertilizers adapted for use on all of our leading 

 crops may be prepared. 



Wheeler states that basic slag is an effective source of phos- 

 phoric acid for use upon all kinds of soils, and on account of 

 its lime it is of special promise in the reclamation of exhausted 

 acid soils, particularly such as are rich in organic matter, like 

 many marsh or muck soils. 44 



Basic slag has been found useful for peaches, apples, grapes, 

 oranges, and fruits in general, and for all the cereals. It has 

 also proved very beneficial to clover, alfalfa, and the grasses ; in 

 fact, all kinds of crops which are benefitted by phosphatic fertil- 

 izers respond more readily to the fertilizer when in the shape of 

 basic slag. Since it is quite likely that it may come into much 

 more general use in this country, a detailed study of the methods 

 of determining its value is advisable. 



163. History and Manufacture. The basic process for the man- 

 ufacture of Bessemer steel is known in Europe as the Thomas 

 or Thomas and Gilchrist process, and the slags rich in phosphate, 

 one of the waste products of the process, are known by the 

 same name. In this country all the phosphatic slags which have 

 been made in the manufacture of steel have been obtained work- 

 ing chiefly under the patents of Reese, and, when prepared for the 

 market, are known as odorless phosphate. The only places where 



48 Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 68, 1900 : 28, 29. 

 44 U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 77, 1905 : 18. 



