1 Noy., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 441 
soon as this has soaked away fill up again, and keep doing this as long as your 
water or patience holds out. This will wash out the alkali, and if water is used 
freely upon the grass or whatever you plant on the spot there will probably be 
no more trouble from alkali. This is the surest way to cure an alkali spot. If 
water is not available and drainage too expensive, or otherwise not feasible, the 
next best treatment is the use of finely ground gypsum. In the presence of 
moisture this sulphate of lime changes partners with the carbonate of soda, 
and the result is carbonate of lime and sulphate of soda. The latter is white 
alkali, and is not so corrosive as the black, consequently more plants will grow 
in its presence. The amount of gypsum depends upon the amount of carbonate 
of soda. It is too expensive to reclaim bad black alkali in this way on a 
commercial scale, but the cost of curing an eyesore in a garden does not 
come under strict commercial calculations. The use of manure produces a 
good effect if worked into tough, black alkali soil, and if spread upon the 
surface, because it prevents surface evaporation and consequently checks the 
rise of the alkali and its condensation upon the surface. Such treatment is 
quite satisfactory after the alkali is washed down or treated with gypsum and 
trees or shrubs are planted. If the manure is used after washing out and 
deeply spaded in, and the surface sown with alfalfa, you will probably get a good 
stand, which will cover the ground and, by checking surface evaporation, 
prevent the subsequent rise of alkali. Some black alkali tracts have been 
reduced sufficiently for a stand of alfalfa by repeated flow of water over the 
surface and. the descent of the water without drainage. This merely 
distributes the alkali through a thicker layer of soil, and makes it too weak at 
any point to do harm. The success of this plan depends upon a certain depth 
of soil and the absence of hardpan near the surface to prevent the downward 
course of the water. Ashes are of no use in alkalireclamation. The soil has too 
much alkali already, and the application of ashes simply means adding alkali.— 
Pacific Rural Press. 
SULPHATE OF COPPER. 
Farmers should take notice that the sale of adulterated copper sulphate is 
becoming notorious. An article has lately been placed on the English market 
under the name of “ Agricultural Sulphate of Copper,” and the chemical section 
of the Royal Agricultural Society warns farmers not to be deceived by it. It 
has been analysed and found to contain 99:04 per cent. of sulphate of iron, and 
only 9°04 per cent. of sulphate of copper. The latter, if pure, should contain 
98 per cent. crystallised sulphate of copper. This is worth 28s. per ewt., whilst 
sulphate of iron is only worth 4s. per ewt. in England. 
THE LINK BELT CANE UNLOADER. 
Tx the economic handling of sugar-cane, Louisiana has led the world for years. 
Leading planters of other countries visit us to inspect on the spot our labour- 
saving devices and methods, and such machinery built or developed in Louisiana 
can now be found in every cane-sugar country in the world. In Louisiana the 
well-known Link-Belt Machinery Company has devoted itself for years to the 
improvement and development of sugar machinery, and they are now offering 
their latest link-belt cane unloader, which they illustrate and describe as 
follows :— 
The link-belt cane unloading machine, illustrated herewith, is a new 
device, designed for the rapid and economical unloading of cane from railway 
cars and carts to the cane conductor. It is not new in the sense that it has 
hever been tried, because this machine has been in successful operation in Cuba 
for the past two years, during which time all defects that have appeared in the 
machinery and construction have been carefully noted and corrected. The load 
