514 
THE  TROPICAl 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[Ffb.  I,  )8g6. 
Nitrogen  as  nitrates  is  imm  ecliateiv  available  as 
plant  food 
Nitrogen  as  ammonia  salt  soon  becomes  available. 
Nitrogen  as  organic  nitrogen  is  much  more  slowly 
available. 
Phosphoric  acid,  combined  with  lime,  is  generally 
present  in  manures  as; — (<j)  Insoluble  phosphate  of 
lune,  c.(j.,  bone  meal  and  basic  slag,  {b)  Soluble 
phosphate  of  lime,  e.;/.,  superphosphates  and  dissolved 
bones. 
Insoluble  phosphate  of  lime  is  converted  into 
soluble  or  supeimnosphate  by  treating  it  with  sul- 
phuric acid. 
Soluble  phosphates  are  generally  more  active  than 
insoluble  phosphates  in  promoting  plant  gi'owth. 
Potash  is  the  valuable  ingredient  in  kainit  and 
muriate  of  potash.  Potash  has  generally  a better- 
effect  on  light  than  on  heavy  soils. 
Superphosphate  and  nitrate  of  soda  should  not  be 
mixed,  or,  if  mixed,  must  be  sown  immediately. 
This  also  applies  to  the  mixing  of  basic  slag  and 
sulphate  of  ammonia. 
Artificial  manures  should  be  purchased  on  a guaran- 
teed analysis,  and  the  source  from  which  the  fertilizing 
ingredients  of  the  manure  arc  derived  should  be 
stated.  This  precaution  is  especially  necessary  in 
purchasing  bone  or  mixed  manures.  The  percentage 
of  nitrogen  in  a manure  should  be  stated  in  its 
eqiuivalent  of  ammonia,  that  of  insoluble  phosphoric 
acid  as  phosphate  of  lime,  soluble  phosphoric  acid 
as  phosphate  of  lime,  and  that  of  potash  salts  in 
their  equivalent  of  potash. 
Artificial  manures  are  valued  according  to  the 
quantities  of  nitrogen,  soluble  phosphate  of  lime, 
insoluble  phosphate  of  lime,  and  potash  they  contain, 
and  are  generally  valued  on  the  unit  system.  The 
amount  of  a unit  is  taken  to  be  one  per  cent,  of 
a ton.  Thus  one  ton  of  nitrate  of  soda  containing 
nitrogen  equal  to  It)  per  cent,  of  aimnonia  is  said 
to  contain  It)  units  of  ammonia. 
Farmyard  manure  contains  all  the  ingredients  of 
plant  food.  This  manure  is  exceedingly  variable  in 
quality,  as  the  quality  varies  with  the  nature  ot  the 
food  given  to  the  animal,  the  nature  and  amount 
of  the  little  used,  the  method  by  which  the  manure 
is  produced,  and  its  treatment  from  the  time  of 
production  until  it  is  applied  to  the  land. 
Amount  op  Manurial  Inouei)if,nts  Generally  Pre- 
sent IN  THE  MORE  Important  Manures. 
Nitrate  of  .soda  (9")  per  cent,  purity) 
Sulphate  of  ammonia  (97  ’) 
Nitrate  of  potash  (85  ,,  ) 
Dried  blood 
TIorn  dust 
Bone  meal 
Steaireil  bone  flour 
Dis.solved  bones 
Superphosphate  (high  class) 
Superphosphate  (low  class) 
Basic  slag  (best  (piality) 
Kainit 
.Muriate  of  potash  (SO  per  cent.)  .. 
.Sulphate  of  potash  (.''lO  ,,  ) .. 
.-S  o 
1!) 
24 
14 
15 
14 
4—5 
1—2 
3-5 
Amou.nt  Pe 
Cent,  op 
Phos|)hate 
of  Lime. 
22  "o  aj 
R 
•r.  -r. 
40 
. . 44  -5,-) 
. . 5G-05 
10-20  10-14 
35—40  . . 
20  -2S 
37-42 
12 
Peruvian  guano  (low  class; 
Ichaboc  guano 
Fish  guano 
The  manures  mentioned 
always  be  purchased  at  a 
special  manures,  such  as 
manure.”  “turnip 
3—5  ;jo-.5o  1-3 
...  10-10  LS-30  2 
...  7-12  17-3.7  
in  the  above  table  can 
mucli  cheaper  rate  tliaii 
grass  manures,”  •‘cereal 
manure,”  Ac.  Nitrate  of  soda 
should  not  be  applied  to  any  crop  until  that  crop 
has  reached  an  active  st.-go  oi  g.owth.  Siilpliat ; of 
iiinmonia  is  generally  applied  along  with  the  seed  of 
I ny  crop.  The  phosphaiic  m nnres,  bones,  siiper- 
jliosphate,  basic  slag,  Ac.,  are  not  like  nitrogenous 
II  anurea  liable  to  be  lost  from  the  toil,  hence  they 
may  be  applied  for  some  time  before  tlie  growth  of 
a crop.  As  a rule,  basic  slag  should  be  applied  to 
soils  rich  in  organic  matter  and  poor  in  lime.  Super- 
phosphate generally  gives  a better  result  on  harder 
land.  Ill  the  case  of  ba.sic  slag  it  is  a distinct 
advantage  to  apply  it  in  the  autumn  or  early  winter 
for  a crop  to  be  grown  during  the  following  season. 
Tlie  qualities  of  this  manuic,  which  contain.s  phos- 
phoric acid  equal  to  1)7  per  cent,  or  more  of  phos- 
phate of  lime,  give  the  best  results,  and  this  manm'O 
should  be  ground  fine  enough  to  allow  8.5  per  cent, 
of  it  to  pass  through  a No.  100  wire  mesh.  Super- 
pho.sphate  should  ahv.iys  be  iu  a dry  powdery  con- 
dition. and  not  pasty,  as,  if  so,  it  is  impossible  to 
distribute  it  evenly  in  the  soil.  It  is  probably  desir- 
able to  apply  potash  manures  in  the  aut'amu  or 
early  winter.  When  artificial  manures  are  applied 
some  time  before  the  growth  of  a crop,  care  must 
bo  taken  that  they  are  not  buried  too  deeply.— 
Lana  A'.rp/'t'.'i*'. 
Note. — The  above  was  printed  as  an  extract  in  the 
Agricultural  Journal  of  the  Departinent  of  Agricul- 
ture, Cape  Colony,  but  it  will  doubtless  be  fouinl  of 
interest  to  agriculturists  in  general. — J.  TI.  H. — 
Tri'iilihiil  JUilhliii. 
COCONl'T.S  ON  THE  K.V.'^T  f’O.VST  OF 
FLORIDA. 
A West  Palm  Deaeh  correspondent  of  the  Cifi-jfin 
writes : — 
Although  the  fact  that  a vast  number  of  coconut 
trees  is  to  be  seen  along  the  east  bank  of  Lake 
Worth  has  bean  told  many  times,  yet  few  have 
been  informed  of  the  origin  of  these  trees.  Their 
being  planted  in  rows  and  f.jriirng  shaded  walks 
from  the  lake  to  ihe  Atlantic  ocean  and  almost  in 
a s raight  lino  from  the  Diinick  place  to  Cragin’s  a 
di.'^tance  of  three  miles,  plainly  shows  that  tliey  wera 
pla'itod  by  hand,  and  wi.h  great  care. 
The  story  of  their  origin  as  related  by  Captain 
W.  M Lainhart  recently,  is  as  follows: — 
‘■Some  time  in  the  middle  of  January,  in  1878, 
I happened  to  be  upon  the  beach  one  afternoon 
and  saw  a ship,  which  afterward  proved  to  bo  the 
Spanish  bark  “Providencia”  carrying  a crew  of  tbir- 
teen  men,  none  of  whom  could  speak  a word  of 
English  except  the  mate  and  lie  only  a few  words. 
The  vessel  acted  suspiciously,  ami  I conclnd  d to 
watch  her.  I waited  until  she  was  hid  in  the  dark- 
ness, when  I went  home,  resolved  to  come  again 
the  next  day,  I was  upon  the  beach  at  day  break, 
and  saw  that  the  vessel  had  be  n run  a.shore.  With 
the  assistance  of  H .F.  Ilanimond,  I soon  had  her 
stripped  of  the  rigging,  wliich  wo  piled  upon  the 
beach 
‘•The  vessel  had  about  ‘20,000  coconuts  aboard, 
which  soon  began  to  wash  ashore.  These  we  piled 
up  along  the  beach  and  divided  tliem  among  the 
vai  ious  settlers,  who  set  them  out  upon  their  home- 
steads, and  they  have  since  grown  luxuriously. 
‘•Tlie  coconuts  whieli  had  tlieir  husks  on  tiiem, 
came  from  Baraeoa,  in  soiithe.i.sleni  Cuba.  The 
cargo  was  bound  'or  Ihi; celoiia.  From  wliat  I could 
learn  from  the  mate,  wlio  was  the  only  one  I could 
understand,  the  vessel  liad  been  out  only  a few  days 
from  Baracoa.  All  of  the  men  w re  drunk.  They 
had  plenty  of  provisioi  s and  liquor,  and  remained 
on  the  beach  here  for  three  or  f.  nr  days.  They 
were  present  while  we  were  stripping  liie  ves.sel, 
and  paid  little  atlenti'  n to  ilie  bo.it  af  or  they  h.ad 
left  her.  In  tac',  it  was  iiiy  impression  that  the 
captain  run  her  upon  the  shove  for  the  express 
purpose  of  getting  the  insu  unco. 
‘•I  was  much  sought  for  by  all  the  lueiuber.s  of 
tlie  crew,  from  tlie  cap  iiiii  iL, wn.  The.y  niiulo  me 
reiiiaiii  with  lliom  all  ni^lu  f.ir  tear  of  wild  aninnils, 
liidiaiiH.  etc,  a id,  in  fac;,  it  w n iiiip.issible  for 
me  to  get  away.  I reiiiembor  the  second  niglit 
more  dis  iiieily,  it,  was  very  cold  and  disagreeable. 
I was  forced  to  stay  with  them,  and  f had  made 
up  Illy  mind  to  got  home  at  all  hazards.  I'hnallv, 
when  the  last  ono  of  them  h.ad  dropped  off  to 
shop,  I slipped  away  and  went  homo,  reluruiug 
at  daybreak  the  next  day  without  their  realizing 
that  I had  gone.  I vvai  indeed  glad  when  a ship 
