February 23, 1893, ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
151 
Sodium Chloeide (NaCl) is a compound of sodium and chlorine, 
and occurs plentifully in nature as rock salt, also in sea water. Sodium 
chloride is found in rivers, and small quantities in the air in all parts of 
the globe. Though these various compounds can be produced in the 
way I have shown (with a view of instructing the uninitiated) they also 
occur in nature by themselves or combined. 
AmmoivIUM Sulphate. —This is procured mainly from gas liquor, 
an alkaline liquid, which is obtained as a by product in the purification of 
coal gas. This contains 4 to 40 lbs. of ammonia per 100 gallons ; some little 
is also obtained from bone liquor. The liquid in either case is distilled 
(usually with lime), and the ammonia given off passed into saturaters 
containing sulphuric acid; after a time ammonium sulphate crystallises 
out, and is collected with perforated ladles. In some cases the gas 
liquor is directly neutralised with sulphuric acid. The sulphate of 
ammonium so made is likely to contain ammonium sulpho-cyanide, 
which is very objectionable, being poisonous to plants. This may be 
detected by dissolving some of the ammonium sulphate in water, and 
adding to it a few spots of solution of psrchloride of iron (obtainable 
from any chemist), a blood-red colouration is produced if ammonium 
sulpho-cyanide is present. Commercial ammonium sulphate is usually 
guaranteed to contain 24 per cent, of ammonia, which is equal to 93'18 
of ammonium sulphate. 
Bone Ash. —This'is the residue, obtained when bones are completely 
burnt. The commercial article is mostly imported from South America, 
and usually contains 70 per cent, of calcium phosphate. The calcium 
phosphate of animal matter is more readily attacked by the solvents of 
the soil than the same compounds occurring in mineral phosphates. 
Basic Slag or Phosphoric Slag.— When steel is made by what 
is known as the “ basic Bessemer process,” the whole of the phosphorus 
in the pig iron used, sometimes 3 or 4 per cent., combines with the lime also 
used in the process, and goes into the slag, which contains about 50 per 
cent, of lime and an average of 17 per cent, of phosphorus pentoxide. 
This slag is ground into very fine powder, and passed through a sieve 
of 100 meshes to the inch linear. This is important. The oxide of 
iron, which is also present, is not found injurious to plants, as was at 
first expected. In 1887 over 500,000 tons of this slag was made in 
Europe, and nearly the whole was used as a manure. It is estimated 
that the phosphorus pentoxide in finely ground slag has half the 
manurial value of the same constituents in superphosphate. 
ANALYSIS OF BASIC SLAG. 
Lime.60’0 per cent. 
Magnesia .4-0 „ 
Alumina .2-0 „ 
Silica.8'0 „ 
Iron oxide.14-0 „ 
Manganese oxide.6 0 „ 
Phosphorus pentoxide .I7'0 ,. 
Superphosphates. —The naturally occurring phosphates of calcium, 
such as apatite, sombrerite, and coprolite, cannot be profitably used as 
a manure in the raw state, as they are very insoluble in water. By the 
action of sulphuric acid the greater part of these insoluble phosphates 
may be converted into an easily soluble form known commonly as 
superphosphates. Owing to its great solubility this forms the most 
satisfactory method of adding phosphorus to the soil. The effect is 
more marked when required for the needs of a particular crop rather 
than for the permanent improvement of the soil. Bones, bone ash, and 
animal charcoal are also converted into superphosphates in a similar 
manner. The following is an analysis of a superphosphate made from 
coprolites. The composition of superphosphates varies very much. 
MINERAL SUPERPHOSPHATE. 
Calcium superphosphate (soluble) .19'47 
Tri-calcium phosphate (insoluble) .. .. .. .. 7’59 
Calcium sulphate (gypsum) .37'47 
Water.27‘93 
Silica.407 
Alkalis, iron oxide, &c.3-47 
Precipitated Phosphate. —Certain phosphatic minerals are unfit 
for conversion into superphosphates. This may ha due to the presence 
of objectionable constituents, such as ferric oxide, or alumina, or to the 
small quantity of phosphates contained in them. These minerals are 
treated with acid (sometimes after calcination), and the phosphates 
dissolved out; this is then precipitated with lime, chalk, or calcium 
sulphydrate. The phosphate so precipited stands next in value to 
superphosphate, inasmuch as some samples contain up to 40 per cent, 
phosphorous pentoxide. It is a very concentrated manure, and is much 
used on the Continent. 
Calcium Compounds. —These are used under the form of chalk, 
lime, gypsum, and marl. They are especially useful on heavy land, 
upon land deficient in lime, peaty soils, and on those containing much 
vegetable matter. 
(To be continued.) 
National Rose Society.—“ The Rose Derby.” 
Surely “ a comedy of errors ”—no better title could be given to the 
recent blunders committed by those responsible for the tactics and 
generalship of the “ late land division ” of our Rose army. One after 
another these leaders have fallen into the very traps which they fondly 
imagined they had so carefully laid for the discomfiture of the southern 
army. 
First and foremost came the Rev. J. H. Pemberton “ beating the air ” 
with an attack on me, and here I may say I completely and unreservedly 
accept his explanation, even with its conditional “ IF ” in capital 
letters. Then came “ J. B.” (page 109) with a fable about Messrs. Hall 
and Whitwell, which “ D., Deal^' (page 131) has demolished in his own 
inimitable and convincing way ; but the climax, and cream of the whole 
joke, I think, is in the fact that in your issue of this week “ W. R.. 
Raillem ” (page 131) has fallen on and slaughtered one of his own party. 
Poor ” J. B !” he must feel quite demolished, smitten hip and thigh on 
the same day, not only by the ephemeral southerner, but also by the 
more hardy northerner—even his own familiar friend. “ Et tu. Brute 1”' 
However, to finish with another quotation from Shakespeare, let us still 
hope that “ all’s well that ends well.”— Charles J. Grahame, , 
Croydon. 
N.R.S. Fixtures. 
I AM glad to see the note from “ D., Deal," (page 131) re the retire¬ 
ment of Messrs. Hall and Whitwell, but can assure your correspondent 
that the reason I mentioned is the one constantly assigned at the time 
by members of the National Rose Society. When such able practitioners 
suddenly cease their efforts a certain amount of curiosity is naturally 
felt as to the cause, and all of whom I inquired about it gave the reason 
I stated, and as it seemed a very likely one I supposed it was correct, 
1 am sorry now to learn that it was rather lack of “staying poweia.” 
Teas in Mixed Classes. 
My whilom opponent, “ W. R. Raillem ” (page 131) rather misses the 
point of my complaint. I do not mean that there were any “ especial 
favour ” shown to the particular blooms of Teas exhibited, though I do 
know very excellent judges who hold that Tq&s per se are always more 
deserving of honour than H.P.'s, but that boxes of Teas exclusively 
being allowed to compete in the mixed classes constitutes an “ especial 
favour ” to Teas, which is not enjoyed by H.P.’s. One portion of the 
schedule is headed “ Tea and Noisette Division,” and it surely does not 
need any argument to prove that that is the place for boxes of these 
varieties only. If this division did not exist I should consider it 
“ especial favour ” if H.P.’s alone were allowed to win, but with the 
ample provision thus made for Teas only I still think that such boxes 
should not be allowed in the so-called mixed classes. In the case of 
H.P.’s cited by “ W. R. Raillem ” it was quite natural that the “ Tea men ” 
should not complain, because they had the entire division to themselves 
in which not a solitary H.P. might appear. 
My reply to your correspondent’s last question is that at present I 
should not like a rule that there must be some Teas in the mixed boxes, 
but I should like to see one class in each of the sub-divisions A to F for 
H.P.’s only (of course I know of the classes for 12, 9, and 6 of one H.P.) 
and then I would insist that stands in the mixed classes should contain 
both Teas and H.P.’s. I hope to see some such arrangement in the 
schedule for 1894.—J. B. 
DISCUSSION ON POTATOES, 
The Bruce. 
It is very evident that Potatoes, like Apples, are not suitable for all 
soils ; by this I mean varieties growing on heavy land in one place 
appear totally unsuited for similar soil in another district. I see, on 
page 116, Mr. E. Molyneux says the Potato under notice does not 
produce tubers of first-rate quality in his. district. Now, my experience 
teaches me that The Bruce is one of the best varieties we have in the 
market. I quite agree with Mr. Molyneux, that it is a form of Magnum 
Bonum. Mr. Findlay of Markinch, the raiser, says it is the result of a 
cross between Paterson’s Victoria and Late Rose, so it will be seen by 
its parentage that the quality comes from the former variety. It is a 
heavier cropper than Magnum Bonum, and the flavour is far superior to 
that variety. On my heavy soil the tubers turn out well, and when 
cooked they are like balls of flour. The market growers on the north 
* side of London have almost discarded Magnum Bonum in favour of The 
