SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, 2 October 1916, Page 3

SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

AGRICULTURAL POSSIBILITIES

THE CAWTTITIOiN INSTITUTE

THE CHEMICAL MANURES

LINE'S FOB INVESTIGATION.

As stated in the CVfai'l the other day. the Trustees of the C'awthron. Estate, among other things, intend to make provision for extensive investigation in the very important matter of chemdstry in its relation to agricultural development in this ddstrict. In "this connection, the fallowing article on the subject of scientific research generally will be read with interest :

Am industry of the ait most importance in aoi'ic<uiLture is the manufacture of chemical! manures. Here science has played a prominent part in the past, and is still vital, in regard to the superphosphates. Bonedust and 'basic sl[ag are sdnir&y ground from the raw .material, and' guanos "and! nitrate of soda are natural products, the latter coming from .the nitrate beds of Chili. The largest supplies of potash salts have always been obtained from Germany, hitherto the home of the industry, though there are signs that this is not always to be the case. Superphosphates are thegift of science to the chemical .manures 1 industry. The use of 'bones as manures dates back to the andents. Then came the scientific discovery that 'bones when dissolved iin sulphuric acid gave much quicker results than when the 'bonedust was applied to the ground in its original state. The ae-'d it was found, rendered the phosphate of lime in the bones soluble, or more readilv available as plant food'. From that inception has grown the pre-sent-day manufacture o,f superphosphates. •Scientific research has led to great improvements lin the manufacture of sulphuric acid', which used to be very crudelv orried- out. Nowadays the methods "are better and more careful, and the article is produced not only in Britain, 'but in New Zealand* at the lowest possible . price. .Superphosphates are not made from bone, but from) pngh-grade phosphates and guanos from J*° lfic Idands. .America, Tunis, Eorypt, and. \ar»ous other parts of the world:.

TEE SEABCH, EOTI POTASH DEPOSITS.

As regards potash, there are severax iretbodsof manufacture, and,, m connection with the suppiy, ers are busyiag themselves, besides which companies have been formed to ■■work the eiant kelp deposits,on the west coast- o* the United' States with the vww of obtaining the potash extents The Americans are also exporting tokely territory in search, of similar deposits to those in Germanv. Meantime research in fertiliser, factories is 'being maanJy directed towards cheapening the cost of manufacture by economy in working and; labour-saving devices. Though sulphuric acid is used for a variety of purposes, its largest u<=e i« in the making of superphosphates. The aim. therefore, is to make it cheap thus necessitating! the most, efficient oi appliances, in wbkh, connection the help of fboth the scientist and the engineer is ne Where science mav still be of assistance 'in relation to the chemical manures .industry is in the direction of geological research, entailing the extensive examination of the areas where ■natural tertuisers anay exist.. Though, so far as us known at present, the Germans have practically a monopoly in potash, and though no ■similar deposits have -been discovered in New Zealand, yet there are undoubtedly great sources from which, fertilisers might he obtained in this Dominion, and: which aright he developed iby sctieiitinc methods. RESE4JBGK FIEL.D IN- THERMAL; MSTKEOTS. It has been stated that the ejector from Mount Tarawera contains a considerable -amount of phosphoric acid. There are also in New Zealand certain rocks containing potash which, under some circumstances, onright be 'utilised;. It is thought by many also to 'be quite possible that in the oMT thermal spring deposits potash

and other fertilisers might be discovered, lui these districts, or where sulphur abounds, there is certainly; scope for ■ijientific invetigation. One of the recent diLscoveries in agrri cultural l science was .the important part sulphur plays as a fertilising agent. It is not impossible, further, that the klalp deposits on'the coasts of New Zealand may, under development, produce both potash and iodine. There are .great podsffbilities in what science may do in the direction of making nitrogen from the atmosphere through the use of electricity'. In other ways, also, the scope for scientific research in relation to the manufacture of chemical manures is wide.

SCIENCE AND FRUITGROWING. The fruit.growin<2: 'industry in New Zealand offers scientists a considerable field for research. Ac? aa linstance may be quoted the fact that the Northern Spy .i'PpCe .is immune from' tlie American or woolly aphis. This blight is the most serious barrier against, the production of other apples of the best flavour. Science might discover the -complete secret of the Nortihern Spy's imaiiunily and apply dt to the other varieties. All .that, is known definitely at present is that there is a slight excess in t/he lame tannin in i/he elements constituting the Northern Spy as connparedi with -what, exists in other apples. It is .not fbeyondi the bounds of possibility that scientists should discover the means of enabling all apple trees to take up from the soil a sufficient amount of tihe right elements to make them also ■bLight-resistiing. SOOrPE FOR OTHER INVESTIGATIONS. '■ .- , In the same connection dt is-very probaole that many of {Jhe most destructive forms of fungoid disease, sudh as the leaf curl in peaches, might be combated (by ■the addition to the soil of certain plant food or soil elements. This line of thought is receiving much attention J from fruitgrowers. '■;■'. . Science "has 'helped t,ne ..andiustry in hvPo.ridiisa.tion, by iwihdoh method new fruits and new varieties of fruit have bean produced. There are endless possibilities in thh? diiredtioa.