FARMERS AND PHOSPHATES
A GOVERNMENT EXPERT'S ADVICE. A paper on "Phosphates" was read before the Council of Agriculture yesterday by Mr. 13. C. Aston, chief chemist to tho Department of Agriculture. New Zealand farmers, lie stated, were now spouding about half-a-iuillion fitcrlin? annually on manurial phosphates, all ot which-with tho exception of tho locally produced boncdust and mineral phosphate -had to bo imported from other countries. To New Zealand tho phosphate supply was, therefore, a highly important matter, and one which merited tho closest study. It was in the North -Island, particularly the northern-portion of it, that under the present system, heavy phosphatio manuring had proved so necessary. Fortunately the Dominions interest in Nauru assured a wipply of the highest grade of naturally accruing phosphate in the world. After describing in detail tho use of tho different varieties of phosphates, Mr. Aston urged farmers to make phosphate the chief manure and to strive after tho finest possible grade, reniembci'ing . that the phosphate became less available to 1 plants' in the soil, and in this respect differed from limo or limestone. Hence limestono might be ground much morecoarsely than phosphate, especially phosphate rock, whioh should always be applied in the form of tho finest impalpable flour. He further advised them to get tho highest grade of phosphate available-over 80 per cent, if possible— and not to use any low grade phosphato of unknown origin, or aluminium phosphate, or mixtures containing this, until it had been tested on New Zealand soils. It also behoved them to dqyelop the limestone resources of their Tospeotivo districts. They should make good use of the district instructors in. agriculture and get them to take caTeful and accurate samples of typical soils. _ The taking of well-drawn representative samples would be of great vnluo in determining what amount of lime each district required, j
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 244, 9 July 1920, Page 10
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306FARMERS AND PHOSPHATES Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 244, 9 July 1920, Page 10
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