48 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VII. No. 159. 



drates, which is usually made by difference. 

 Agricultural analysts hereafter should use 

 the factors mentioned instead of the com- 

 mon factor 6.25, which has been so long 

 employed. 



The use of the basic bessemer process for 

 the manufacture of steel from phosphorifer- 

 ous pig iron has not yet been fully estab- 

 lished in this country. The agricultural 

 importance of this branch of manufac- 

 ture is found in the production of basic 

 phosphatic slags. In Europe this indus- 

 try has grown to an enormous magni- 

 tude, and it is estimated that at the pres- 

 ent time the rate of production in that 

 country is a million and a-half tons of 

 basic slag annually. All this material has 

 found a ready market in the fertilizer 

 trade, and the result has been a corre- 

 sponding depression in the prices of super- 

 phosphates. 



The methods of valuing the fertilizing 

 properties of basic slag have lately been 

 worked out very thoroughly in different 

 localities in this and other countries. The 

 difficulties attending the solution of the 

 phosphoric acid in acid ammonium citrate 

 are found chiefly in the varying quantities 

 of uncombined lime which the slags con- 

 tain. This subject was introduced at the 

 last meeting of the Association of Official 

 Agricultural Chemists, but the discussion 

 was only of a formal nature, it having been 

 relegated to the next meeting. 



In addition to the chemical methods of 

 analysis the separation of the slags into 

 silts of different magnitudes will probably 

 prove of use. This cannot be accomplished 

 by subsidence in water, on account of the 

 solvent action of the water on the quick- 

 lime present. The substitution of alcohol 

 of appropriate strength, however, obviates 

 this difficulty and renders the mechanical 

 separation of the slags easy of accomplish- 

 ment. 



In this country basic slags have been 



manufactured only at Pottstown, Pa., and 

 at Troy, N. Y. I visited a large factory at 

 Troy last winter, which was then in full 

 action, but I believe it has been shut down 

 oh account of the low price of steel billets. ' 

 It is believed, however, that a vast quantity 

 of phosphatic iron ores will soon be brought 

 into the market in this country and that the 

 by-product, basic slags, will iind a ready 

 agricultural use. 



Experience has shown that these slags 

 act happily on sandy soils, and, in fact, in 

 most cases can replace the acid phosphates 

 where phosphoric acid is indicated in the 

 application of fertilizers. The association 

 of agriculture and manufacture in this re- 

 spect cannot fail to be of value, and it may 

 soon be possible to offer to the farmer 

 available phosphoric acid, in the form of 

 basic slags, at a lower price than can be 

 profitably asked for acid phosphates. 



In terminating this brief review of recent 

 progress in agricultui-al chemistry, I am as 

 fully aware as any of you of the imperfect 

 nature of the rt'SMme which has been given. 

 I was not asked, however, until a short time 

 ago to prepare this paper, and have been 

 compelled to gather the information by 

 piecemeal and in the intervals of other 

 pressing duties. I am certain that in my 

 hurry I have omitted many points of prog- 

 ress made by our own investigators which 

 ought to have been incorporated in the 

 paper. I only hope that the one who is 

 next called upon to present a resume of this 

 progress may be given a longer time in 

 which to prepare for his duties. 



H. W. Wiley. 



Depaetment of Agriculture, 



Washington, D. C. 



TEE 3I0NTBEAL MEETING OF TEE GEOLOQ- 

 ICAL SOCIETY OF AMEBIGA. 

 1. 

 The Geological Society of America as- 

 sembled in Montreal, December 28th, for its 



