Tie Mediterranean Mnralist. 
H HDotUbl^ 3ournal of Batura! Science. 
Yol. II., No. 16. MALTA, SEPTEMBER 1st. 1892. 
/ 4/- Per annum 
\ By post 5/- 
CONTENTS. 
— — Pag. 
1 Phosphate Nodules— Rev. Prof. G. Henslow, M.A., 
F.L.S., etc. 235 
2 On the extraordinary abundance of Deiopeia pul- 
chella Beis in Malta— A. Caruana Gatto 239 
3 The Eruption of Etna— J.H.C. 239 
4 A marketable commodity. 240 
5 The Peronospora among the Malta Vines— John H. 
Cooke. 241 
6 The Meadow of Nysa— Capt. Moore, R.N. 
7 Assiminea littorina Delle Chiaie in Malta— A. Ca- 
ruana Gatto. 245 
8 The Relationship of the Structure of Rocks to the 
conditions of their formation — H. J. Johnston 
Lavis, M.D., B.Se., F.G.S., etc. 245 
9 A Year's Insect Huntingat Gibraltar — J. J. Walker, 
R.N..F.E.S. 248 
10 Notes and News :— An abnormal worm— Pantallerian 
sponge beds— Etna— Antidotes for snakes poison— 
Thunderstorm in July— A new islet in the Caspian 
—Mars— Tabacco growing— A suggestion— Water- 
spout at Trieste— Forest fires in Algeria, etc. etc. 249 
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16 
Phosphate Nodules 0) 
BY 
Rev. Prof. G. Henslow, m.a., f.l.s. etc. 
Mr. Cooke's paper on the discovery of phospha- 
tic nodules in Malta has suggested to me that the 
readers of the Mediterranean Naturalist might be 
interested in a brief account of the original disco- 
very of phosphate nodules by my father, the Rev. 
J. S. Henslow, late professor of Botany in the 
University of Cambridge, to whose scientific 
knowledge was due the commencement of this 
most important branch of agricultural industry. 
The first agricultural chemist to suggest the use 
of superphosphate of lime was Prof. Liebig, who 
in 1839 proposed the employment of bones for 
such a purpose. (2) He returned to the subject in 
1843, strongly advocating the more general use of 
phosphates. “A field,” he says, “in which phos- 
phate of lime, or the alkaline phosphates form no 
part of the soil, is totally incapable of producing 
grain, peas, or- beans” (3) Again, he declares that 
if a rich and cheap source of phosphate of lime 
were open to England, there can be no question 
that the importation of foreign corn might be 
altogether dispensed with after a short time.” 
He here (p. 176) speaks in allusion to the “copro- 
lites” (4) discovered by Dr Buckland in 1842. The 
enthusiastic chemist concluded his letters with 
the following remarks: — “What a curious and 
interesting subject for contemplation ! In the 
remains of an extinct animal world, England is to 
find the means of increasing her wealth in agri- 
cultural produce, as she has already found the 
great support of her manufacturing industry in 
(1 ) Originally appeared in “ The Leisure Hour," 
1862. 
(2) Organic Chemistry of Agriculture, p. 184, 
1840. 
(3) Familiar letters of Chemistry, 1843. 
(4) Fossil excrements of Saurians, occurring in 
the Lias near Clifton, containing about 18 p. c. of 
phosphate of lime. 
