344 
frit TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. |NoveMber i, 1888. 
independent of the planter, though I am not sure of 
the " Chetty." I would therefore appeal to the 
philanthropists of Ceylon, to encourage the poor 
cultivators to plant pepper vines in places where 
they can be profitably grown.— Malaeaiucus.— Local 
" Independent." 
PHOSPHATIC MANURING. 
WI'iCH SPECIAL liEFEHENC'E TO BASIC CINDER 
AS A MANURE. 
In the year 1870 an improvement in the well-known 
' liessemer ' process was patented by Messrs. Gilchrist 
& Thomas. It. must be explained that in the manu- 
faotue of steel from pig-iron certain impurities in 
the raw material have to be got rid of in order 
to produce a good steel. Among these impurities 
one of the most important is phosphorus. This is 
owing to the fact that even a very small percentage 
of phosphoric acid iu steel has the effect of render- 
ing it brittle. The extraction of the phosphorus from 
the raw material was formerly, however attended with 
very serious dfficulties, and had the effect naturally of 
rendering steel a costly article, inasmuch as only the 
purer kinds of pig-iron could be used for the purpose. 
By the intrduction, however in 1879 of the .' Thomas- 
Gilchrist' or 'Basic ' process, these difficulties were very 
largely overcome, and the employment of even such 
impure irons as the Cleveland (containing comparatively 
a large percentage of phosphorus) was rendered possi- 
ble, and the price of steel consequently generally very 
m uch reduced. The process ' consists of submitting 
the molten pig-iron to a very great heat in a pear- 
shaped vessel (known technically as the 'converter'). 
This is open at the top, and is supported on hinges, 
which permit of its being moved so as to pour off the 
scum which rises to the surface at the end of the 
operation and which we may explain, consists of ' Basic 
cinder.' In the original process the sides of the ' con- 
verter ' were lined with fire bricks consisting largely of 
silica. This process was known as the ' Acid ' process. 
In the ' Thomas-Gilchrist ' process, however, the sides 
of the ' converter ' are lined with lime (dolomitic 
limit-stone being largely used) lime being also added 
to the pig-iron. An air blast is injected through 
the molten mass, and the impurities are burnt or 
oxdiscd as it is chemically termed. The phosphorus 
in the iron is thus covereted into phosphoric acid, 
and uniting with the lime forms phosphate of lime, 
which rises as I have already said to the surface 
in the form of a scum, and is separated from the 
steel by beiug poured off. 
This, then, is how the Thomas slag is obtained. 
It did not seem, however, for some years after the 
introduction of this ingenious process to have struck 
any one that this rich phosphatic bye product 
might prove a valuable addition to our artificial 
fertilisers. The result was that the Thomas slag 
was treated as another of the only too numerous 
valueless bye-products, which seem to be necessarily 
incidental to most of our chemical and other 
manufactures, and was allowed to accumulate in 
large quantities without beiDg used for any purpose. 
Iu 1883 some short articles published in Germany 
on the subject were the means of first drawing the 
attention of the public to its importance as a 
manure. During the years 1884-85 numerous experi- 
ments wore carried out on the subject in the same 
country and from then up till the present hour it 
has become more and more extensively used in 
Germany till last year, as I already stated its 
consumption amounted to nearly 300,000 tons. — 
A'. B. Agriculturist. 
ENSILAGE. 
There is no doubt whatever that tho system of 
ensiling green grass has received a wonderful impetus 
during I ho last few weeks We now find that no 
bilo, no chaff cutter is wauted at all, and we shall, 
w e hope, soon learn that no extraneous or mechanioal 
system of pressure is wanted. Pressure wo must 
have, but, as far as possible, let that pressure come 
from the silage itself. As in the case of Stiltou aud 
of cream cheese, and as in the ease of Tokay wine, 
let there be no extra pressure, but the weight of the 
material. Hundreds of farmers are wanting to make 
silage, but are afraid to begin, as they have heard so 
much of the various systems used, the importance of 
continuous pre»sure, and the regulation of tamperature. 
Let them take our advice, hacked up as it is by ex- 
perience. First, then, take the grass fresh and wet, 
and proceed to make a round rick of it, very care- 
fully shaking up the grass and thoroughly well tramp- 
ling it down. Let two or three days elapse, and pro- 
ceed as before, using the second addition of grass as 
a weight upon what was put in the first day. After 
another interval of two or three days proceed again, 
and as tbe stack sinks add yet more grass to it. 
AVhen the process has been carried on for a fortnight, 
the stack may be 10ft. or 12ft. high, and it may 
then be best weighted by placing the elevator near 
it, and building a hayrick on the top. If well topped 
up during the intervals, so as to throw off the rain, 
so much the better. — Agricultural Gazette. 
The Stanley-Wrightson Patent Indestruc- 
tible Tea Chest. — We have to acknowledge the 
receipt of three or four circulars from Messrs. Charles 
Strachan & Co., Colombo, referring to these tea 
chests. We have no doubt the patentees will 
advertise what seems such a good thing. 
Progress in North Borneo, — Referring to 
the last number of the Herald, from which we 
have already quoted freely, a correspondent writes : — 
The J¥orth Bcrneo Herald of 1st August is very 
interesting, 1st. — The new contract with Holt's Line 
for a 600-ton steamer plying betweeu Hongkong, Singa- 
pore and Sandakao, with another steamer of 130 tons 
running in connection between Labuan and Sirnporna; 
the most southerly port ou the east coast. The large 
steamer has first and second passenger accommod- 
ation aud also third, and runs every six weeks. Mrs. 
Dominic Daly gives a very interesting account of Sanda- 
kau market, especially noting the different varieties 
of fish, fruit, and the various nationalities selling and 
purchasing. A yearly taking of $3,000 or R7,000 for 
stalls and licenses speaks volumes for progress in San- 
dakan. A suburban lot of 1 acre sold on the 18th July 
for $255 orR560, upset price $60. Padre Elton formerly 
in Dikoya is the newly appointed Episcopalian clergy- 
man in Sandakan, the first representative of other 
than the Roman Catholic Church. The challenge billi- 
ards cup presented by ex Governor Treacher has been 
won this year by our Oeylon friend, Blr. HeDry -Walk- 
er. I notice another Oeylon man, Von Donop, among 
the players. On page 465 is recorded the good fortune 
of a Mr. Von Gogh who has made a profit of $40,000 
or R85,000 on a concession of 10,000 acres he has sold to 
a tobacco company. It is also recorded that a Mr.Vander 
Hoeven has already formed a company to take up his 
concessions of laud on the Labuk River, receiving a 
sum of R50.000 for each and R112,000 in shares. As the 
editor of the Gazette remarks : " This is good business." 
The Remar estate has secured a crop of 442 piculs 
or 26 tons of tobacco from 42 fields of 1J acre each, — 
53 acres. This tobacco will be sold in Holland in Octo- 
ber, and the prices to be obtained are looked forward to 
with great interest. Immigration statistics in Sanda- 
kan are favorable for the month of June: 264 arrivals 
as against 95 departures. When the Holt Line steamer 
contract is fairly at work in September and immigrants 
are carried to Borneo from Hongkong and Singapore 
for $5 or R10, there will he a great rise in immigra- 
tion figures which will benefit the tobacco planters. 
An interesting meteorological memo is given by Blr. 
Walker, giving the monthly rainfall in the principal 
stations, which will be very useful for the fc'bacco 
planters. Curiously cuough the east coast of Borneo 
seems still preferred by the tobacco planters ofthenew 
Ceylon, while in the old Oeylon the west coast is con- 
sidered most suitable so far. 
