10 



Moisture at 100° C, 



Ferric oxide and alumiuum oxide, 



Total phosplioric acid, 



Calcium oxide, 



Magnesium oxide, 



Insoluble matter, 

 This material has been of late introduced into our 

 fine ground state as " Phosphate Meal " manufactured of the " Peine- 

 Tliomas Scoria." P. Weidinger, No. 76 Pine St., New York. City, 

 who has advertised the sale of the above material for trial, makes 

 the following statement : — 



" We offer to the American fertilizer trade the article above stated, 

 whose rapid and successful introduction into various countries, with 

 constantly increasing demand, gives us a guarantee that its import- 

 ance for agriculture will not be underrated. This is a very finely 

 ground Phosphate Meal, obtained from the so-called Peine-Thomas 

 Scoria through the dephosphorization of pig-iron, after the patented 

 method of Sidney Gilchrist Thomas. The dephosphorization of the 

 iron takes place by melting the iron with lime iu a current of air, a 

 proceding by which pig-iron^ rich in phosphorus is converted into 

 steel, free from phosphorus, (Ingot iron.) In this manner tlie phos- 

 phorus of the pig-iron is converted into phosphoric acid, which uniting 

 with the lime added, forms Phosphate of lime. The melted mixture 

 of Phosphate of lime with the excess of lime and combinations of the 

 iron and manganese, obtained by this proceeding, is called Thomas 

 Scoria. It is brought into the market for the purposes of agriculture, 

 in a. finely groimd state." 



The phosphoric acid present is neither to any extent soluble in 

 water, nor in a solution of citrate of ammonia. The composition of 

 the slag is peculiar on account of an excess of caustic lime, which 

 favors a breaking up into minute particles, when exposed to air and 

 moisture. The more finely ground, when exposed to atmospheric 

 influences, the more rapidly takes place a general disintegration. 

 This behaviour tends to diffuse the phosphoric acid and favors 

 absor])tion by the roots. No previous treatment by acids has been 

 found necessary to secure satisfactory returns when used as a phos- 

 phoric acid source for plant growth. On account of the alkaline 

 reaction of the '•'■ Phosphate Meal" no ammonia salts or organic 

 nitrogen compounds are used as an admixture for the production of 

 more complete fertilizers. In case nitrogen shall be ai)plied, nitrate 

 of soda is used, to furnish that element. Muriate of potash and 

 Kainit are recommended as potash source. 



European Agricultural Chemists speak well of this new source of 

 phosphoric acid. As it is claimed that phosphoric acid can be fur- 

 nished at less cost and more efficiently in the form of "Phosphate 

 Meal" than in anv of our known mineral resources of insoluble 



