184 



[March 1907. 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



THE VALUE OF BASIC SLAG. 



Speaking before the members of the Nantwich Farmers' Club, Mr. W. A. Cox 

 in a lecture on the use of basic slag on various crops, recommended that farmers 

 when buying, should obtain three guarantees, viz., the total phosphate of lime ; that 

 80 per cent, of the total phosphate of lime was soluble in a 2 per cent, solution of citric- 

 acid ; and that SO per cent, of the powder would pass through the standard sieve. 

 Speaking of its effect on grassland, he pointed out that generally the best results 

 Avere obtained on heavy soil and those rich in organic matter. When dealing with 

 sandy and medium soils, especially the former, it should be used in combination with 

 kainit or some other potash salt, as the combined use of these two fertilisers on light 

 and medium soils was usually followed by satisfactory results. The beneficial effects 

 of basic slag on leguminous crops was touched upon, and also upon root crops. On 

 these latter he claimed that it grew sound, useful roots of good keeping qualities 

 and high nutritive value, and when it was more widely understood that basic slag 

 put on in drills at the time of seeding gave certainly as good, and probably better, 

 results than when broadcasted in the winter, farmers would more fully appreciate 

 its value in this connection. 



In Ceylon, Basic Slag has had good effects on tea, coconuts, oranges, &c. ; with 

 the former it is generally applied with the prunings to hasten their decomposition 

 and promote nitrification. 



Two grades are imported into Ceylon which are sold under the following 

 guarantees : — 



Ordinary Basic Slag, 17| to 19 % phosphoric acid and a fineness of 75 to 85 % ; 

 and Superior Basic Slag, containing 20 to 22 % phosphoric acid and 80 to 90 % fineness, 

 i.e,, the amount passing a mesh of 10,000 holes to the square inch. 



M. K. BAMBER. 



