76 
THE TEOPICAL 
AGRICtJLTUEIST, [Aug. 1, 1901. 
veniently illustrated by placing the same weight in 
two g inch diameter glass tubes, about 1 foot long, 
when it will be seen that the basic super occupies a 
space of 11 inches, as compared with only 4J inches oc- 
cupied by the basic slag the relation being as lOOto 40 
This greater bulk in itself ensures a more perfect 
distribution, and will be appreciated hy farmers who 
have already recognised the difficulty of obtaining a 
uniform delivery "of slag, especially when applied by 
hand, for the heavy gritty powder falls between 
the fingers before complete delivery can be effected. 
Its use as a Manure— Ha^sic super is not intended to 
supersede ordinary superphosphate on good arable 
land containing plenty of lime, but is intended to 
be applied on soils that are either deficient in lime 
or contain an excessive quantity of vegetable acids, 
such as sour pastures do. 
It is also recomended as specially suitable as a 
fertiliser for turnips grown on land subject to the 
disease known as " finger and toe." 
Manure manufacturers have suffered seriously from 
competition with basic slag, because on sour grass 
land acid manures were unsuccessful, but now, by 
the simple addition of slaked lime, ordinary super- 
phosphate can be converted into a manure par- 
ticularly adapted to all sour soils. 
Field Experiments— Oi course, as the provisional 
specification was only filed on the 1st November 
last no field experiments have yet been made, but 
during the coming season a fair trial will be made 
upon a great variety of soils throughout the United 
Kingdom, and upon the results so obtained the 
future success of manures will depend. 
It may, however, be interesting, and tend to en- 
gender confidence in the new manure, if attention 
is directed to the reports of certain field experi- 
ments in which superphosphate and lime were applied 
separately with most satisfactory results. 
In the joint report of Prof. Carruthers and Dr. 
John Voelcker on the improvement of grass land, 
published in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural 
Society for March 1898, the following statement occurs 
in reference to an experiment in Lincolnshire upon 
a soil containing only 0-17 per cent, of lime. 
The soil is of a very light character, with a subsoil 
of clay ; it is deficient in vegetable matter, and has 
not much potash, but isfairly supplied with phosphoric 
acid ; and, from the analysis, lime would appear to be 
the great requisite. 
Half the experimental plot was limed in January 
1896 at the rate of four tons of lime per acre, and 
the other half received no lime. 
On ihe limed portion mineral superphosphate 
was applied in February at the rate of 4 cwt. per acre ; 
and on the unlimed portion, basic slag, at the rate 
of 8 cwt. per acre, was applied also in February. 
The report states that " the entire half that had 
been limed has shown marked improvement. " 
"Basic slag used alone has produced more clover, 
but is hardly as good as mineral superphosphate 
with lime. " 
In the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, De- 
cember 1900, Dr. Somerville, in a paper " On the 
Influence of Manures on the Production of Mutton, " 
resulting from experiments carried out on Cockle 
Park Farm, in Northumberland, writes, respecting 
the grass plot that had received a dressing of 7 
cwt. superphosphate in 1897 and 1900, and 10 cwt. 
of ground lime for 1897 and again for 1899 : — 
'• This is a plot in which the interest increases 
each season, and this year it merits special notice, 
a,3 it has produced the greatest aggregate increase of all. 
The results are further favourably contrasted with 
those obtained from two other plots, one of which had 
received a dressing of 7 cwt, superphosphate, but no 
lime • and tine other had received as much a.s 4 tons 
per acre of ordinary burned lime, but no superphos- 
phate, lie writes: — 
" The main reason for this difference in the 
effect of lime is that where used alone its action is 
limited by the v/ant of phosphates, 'in which the soil is 
very dcficiont ; whereas iu the prcsouct; of a phosphatic 
dressing it is able to exert its full, or nearly its fall 
effect. " 
" On the other hand, phosphates, used alone, have 
not been able to exercise tbe maximum influence 
because of the want o/'linie. " 
The practical results obt&ined by Dr. Somerville 
sgree so well with the opinions expresbed by the late 
Dr. Augustus Voelcker in ISGS that the author has a 
reasonable hope that basic superphosphate will prove 
a useful and economical manure on the particular 
kinds of soils already mentioned. 
Instead of going to the expense of liming a field so 
thoronghly that every square inch of soil shall contain 
sufficient lime to neutralise the acid superphosphate 
that may be afterwards applied, it is proposed to add 
sufficient lime to the super before application, and 
thus secure a very important economical saving both 
of time and money, 
If superphosphate can be thus adapted for applica- 
tion to sour soils, a great increasa in the demand 
may in a few years be expected. 
Moreover, the superphosphate employed may be 
made from materials containing more oxide of iron 
and alumina than usual. 
Phosphates which have once been rendered soluble 
in water by treatment with sulphuric acid are superior, 
and must always remain superior, in their action to 
all raw phosphates, which are merely mechanically 
divided, however finely ground. 
Though the total phosphates supplied by basic 
super may be less in actual amount thai: that eiist- 
iug in ordinary basic slag, they will be found much 
more certain and effectual in their results. 
Mr. D. Wilson, D. Sc., of Carbeth, Killearn, very 
truly remarked, in a recent lecture on the manur- 
ing of farm crops; "Artificial manures shauld be 
so arranged as to yield a profit on the Jirst Corp, 
and should be of a quick-acting class, and limited in 
quantity to the requirements of the particular crop. " 
Basic super may be regarded as a quick-acting 
manure, and may be used with advantage quite late 
in the season, with a reasonable expectation that 
under favourable climatic conditions satisfactory and 
economical results may be obtained. 
( To he concluded.) 
THE COCO-NUT— INSECT ATTACKS AND 
THE VITALITY OF PLANTS &c., 
Coconuts are largely grown in Trinidad, but little 
attention, generally speaking, is paid to their require- 
ments in the way of manure. At times they are 
stricken with disease, when the soil, the climate, an 
insect, or a fungus is sure to be blamed for the trouble ; 
an^J in most cases special " remedies " are applied, 
which are expected to act " like a charm " in the re- 
moval of the mischief. Many instances could be cited 
where this has occurred, but it would be invidious to 
particularise. The scale insect is one which has 
generally been combatted with potions, poisons, or 
" remedies," and yet it still exists and is said to kill 
out the trees. Now there can be little doubt that ill 
health is one of the primary causes which lead to 
insect attack in the vegetable world ; and, therefore, 
a due examination should be made of the soil and 
climate of the district in which the plants are growing 
for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are in 
reality getting all they require in the form of nutriment 
for the maintenance of healthy growth. From our 
personal observation it would appear that, if a soil is 
deficient in certain constituents, there is always a 
want of vigour in the plant cultivated and, in most 
cases, insect attack follows — and also follows where 
there is want of moisture, or too much of it, viz., 
drought aud bad drainage. Instances have been seen 
where Coco-nut trees aud other plants attacked by 
scale insects have completely recovered by being 
heavily manured, (i.e.,) supplied with those ingredients 
necessary for the plant to maintain itself in a healthy 
state. Although it may be quite clear that insect 
attack always follows bad health, it would be too 
