104 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I Feoruary 2, 18!'3. 
BASIC SLAG. 
This useful addition to our phospliatic manures came 
prominently into use eleven years ago. It is known under the 
different names of basic slag, basic cinder, basic phosphate, and 
Thomas’ phosphate powder, the last designation pointing to its 
derivation from the Thomas-Gilchrist process. Its low price 
and richness in phosphates has led to its use indiscriminately 
everywhere. For soils deficient in lime it is excellent ; it may 
also be used advantageously on all soils, preference for a manure 
being influenced very much by its price. No doubt for soils 
containing plenty of lime ordinary mineral superphosphate, 
with an addition of pure dissolved bones, is preferable ; but 
when the price asked is higher than that of basic slag, then 
slag is ordered. So it has come to be used very generally, and 
equally of course it has become adulterated so badly that in the 
new number of the Eoyal Agricultural Society’s Journal 
attention is called to the necessity for analysis. In a case 
which recently occurred a guarantee of from 37 to 42 per cent, 
of phosphate of lime had been given, the slag to be of from 
85 to 90 per cent. “ fineness.” On analysis the sample was found 
to contain only 3H per cent, of phosphate of lime, and to be 
only 64 per cent. “ fineness.” Upon the purchaser complaining 
the agect through whom it was bought said, as the order was 
for so small a quantity, perhaps they did not think it would be 
likely to be tested. This was so, because another lot, ordered 
subsequently, came up to the guaranteed description. 
The test for fineness obtained by thorough grinding is that 
85 per cent, passes a sieve containing 10,000 holes to the square 
inch ; and for quality that samples taken from the bulk 
correspond sufficiently near to the following full analysis:— 
Lime . 45-04 
Magnesia. C}’20 
Ferrous oxide . 17-56 
Manganese oxide. 317 
Alumina. 172 
Phosphoric acid. 1811 
Sulphuric acid . 0 41 
Sulphur ) 
Calcium ) "■ "■ ■" "* ® 
Vanadium oxide ... ... ... ... 0 24 
Silica . 6-90 
99'65 
We commend this analysis to the attention of fruit farmers 
who may have become puzzled over formulae of chemical manures 
in which certain quantities of iron and magnesia are said to be 
necessary in manure mixtures for fruit culture. They will then 
see that a liberal addition of basic slag gives them bo’h these 
constituents, as well as the far more valuable phosphates of 
lime. Though it is certain that enough of iron and magnesia 
are almost always present in the soil as to render the matter of 
secondary importance in manure mixtures, yet to avoid vexation 
and uncertainty use basic slag ; a little extra iron in the sod 
does no harm provided it has ample stores of nitrogen, potash, 
phosphoric acid, and lime, and it is certain that iron imparts 
brilliancy of colour to fruit. It is where soil has become per¬ 
meated with oxide of ir m by the ochrous deposit resultant from 
a chalybeate spring, that fruit trees canker. But even such soil 
may be rendered fairly suitable for fruit culture by the applica¬ 
tion of heavy dress ngs of lime 
For general use in agriculture basic slag ought certainly to 
hold a leading place; for permanent pasture especially it appears 
to be valuable. It should be applied early, preferably in the 
autumn, because it is more slowly soluble than some other 
phosphates; and it has this advantage, that while the growth 
of the year will only take up sufficient phosphoric acid for its 
requirements, soil retains the residue for the next or several 
seasons of gi’owth. A very common fault is the use of this and 
other chemical manures with too heavy a hand, from the popular 
idea that in manure lichness and bulk are inseparable. No 
easy mitter is it to enlighten the blind faith which regards a 
ton of farmyard manure as available plant food for the crop 
for which it is used, but it is possible to show how the action of 
basic slag, if slow, is persistent, till the residue in the soil is 
exhausted. The condition of the pasture is always a safe 
indication of its requirements, and it is not difficult to see 
when a second dressing of the slag is becoming necessary. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Advantage was taken of hard frost to cart manure from cattle and 
cow yards to heaps in the field intended for Mangolds. As each heap 
was finished ic was quite covered with soil, and it will be so left till it 
is wanted next April; then as early in the month as possible it will be 
carted on to the land and spread along the rows just thickly enough to 
afford plenty of moisture for the plant in the earlier stages of growth. 
Though it contains some plant food there is not enough for the require¬ 
ments of the crop, some phosphatic chemical manure being added to it 
before it is covered. After the crop is in full growth it has one or two 
heavy surface dressings of nitrate of soda, which, being worked into the 
surface by the hoes, dissolves quickly, so that the whole of the soil about 
the roots is stored with ample supplies of this rich plant food. The 
land intended for Mangolds was thrown up into ridges in the autumn 
by the double breasted ploughs, so that in April preparation for sowing 
consists in placing manure in the furrows and splitting the ridges, the 
sowing then follows at once. Here, again, we always find great benefit 
from thorough autumn tillage, both in having less work to do at sowing 
time and in the friable condition of the soil. 
Supplies of chemical manures for spring work should now be pro¬ 
cured from a reliable source, so as to be ready for dressing permanent 
pasture by the end of February. Where basic slag alone is to be used 
for the pasture, buy only under analysis, and apply at once. As it is 
best used in autumn, we should now mix with it about IJ cwt. nitrate 
of soda per acre to promote prompt free growth this season. From 4 to 
8 cwt. of the slag may be used per acre, according to the condition of 
the pasture. We may then feel assured that the residue of phosphoric 
acid in the soil next autumn will keep the herbage fresh and green during 
the winter, and then a moderate dressing of nitrate of soda alone will 
suffice in the following spring. All permanent pasture drainage is being 
pushed on, so as to afford time for the soil to settle down, the sods to be 
replaced, and pressed down by a heavy roller before spring. A few 
hours’ rain or deep fall of snow causes the soil in new drains to settle 
down quickly ; the sods can then be replaced at once, but if laid upon 
the soil when the draining is done they may fall over or be knocked 
about by horses or cattle. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Farm Bepalrs (J. 27. A. .B. 27.).—The matters concerning which 
you require information will be treated at length in our home farm 
articles, as they are of general use. You specify nothing uncommon in 
such work, but if subsequently to the publication of our notes you have 
anything for which you require special advice then write to us again. 
Small Farms Fast and Present Prlees (7. 7. S.).—The infor¬ 
mation you wish can only be obtained after considerable research, if 
then, and therefore cannot be published this week. You have taken 
your time to ask the questions, and we must take ours to answer them. 
That is fair, is it not ? 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Oamden Square. London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0^ 8' 0" W.; Altitude. Ill feet, 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the Day. 
Rain. 
1893. 
January. 
1 Barometer 
1 at 32°, and 
1 Sea Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday .. 22 
30-324 
42-4 
41-2 
N.W. 
33-8 
45-7 
36-2 
48-0 
31-8 
0-010 
Monday .. 23 
30-080 
44-2 
42-0 
N.W. 
34-6 
50-4 
42.1 
69-1 
36-4 
- . 
Tuesday .. 24 
30-155 
45-2 
43-9 
W. 
36-5 
48-0 
44-1 
53-1 
39-0 
— 
Wednesday 25 
30-211 
39-1 
38-9 
w. 
37-9 
44-2 
38-7 
50-9 
33-1 
0-010 
Thursday.. 26 
29-934 
43-9 
42-6 
s. 
38.0 
45-9 
36-8 
51-9 
35-4 
0-224 
Friday .. 27 
30-049 
33 9 
33-7 
N. 
38-2 
41-4 
31-2 
88-8 
-.7-1 
— 
Saturday .. 28 
29-844 
4 -1 
38-3 
S. 
37-1 
47-1 
32-4 
69-0 
27-2 
0-053 
30-085 
41-3 
40-1 
36-6 
46-1 
37-4 
57-3 
^ 32-9 
0-302 
REMARKS. 
22nd.—Overcast throughout, with slight showers between noon and 3 P.M. 
23rd.—Overcast early ; sunny from 11 A.ll. to noon; occasional drizzle between 1 and 
3 P.M., and fair night. 
24th.—Overcast early, fine during the middle of the day, but not sminy. 
25th.—Fair, but sunless. 
26th.—Overcast, and at times damp in the morning; showery from 2 to 3 P.M., and 
steady rain from 6 P.M. to 11 P.M. 
27th.—Bright sunshine early, and about 2 P.M., but generally foggy, and dense fog 
from noon to 1 P.M. and 3 P.M. to about 8 P.M. 
28th.—Fine, with occasional sunshine in morning, bright sunshine from noon to 3 P.M. 
A mild week, temperature about that which on the average may be expected at 
the end of March.—G. J. SYMONS. 
