The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. "We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1919. BASIC SLAG.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 453, 28 February 1919, Page 2

The Times. P UBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. " We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1919. BASIC SLAG.

PRACTICALLY every farmer in the Auckland Province is anxious to know when basic slag will be available from England and particularly if there is any immediate prospect of the arrival ni' a shipment. The impression is aiu-oad in some quarters that there are writable mountains of slag in the Home manufacturing centres and that the Home controllers of supplies will be as anxious to ship slag as we are ;o receive it. Unfortunately this impression is contrary to fact and does not allow for the tremendously increased consumption of -manure which took place under the war pressure of providing food.

New Zealand merchants have natuially been active In inquiries regarding the possibility of importing slag, and the following information from a London office nuts the position in a nut-shell, viz.: "London state in answer to an inquiry for a quotation for slag that they are afraid it is a hopeless proposition. The exportation of all fertilisers is prohibited, and the manufacturers of slag are about six months behind with their orders for the Home trade. We do not think ihat there is the slightest chance of the Governmnt granting license for shipment, and even if they did we do not think you could get quotations."

One who has followed the Home position fairly carefully supplies the following facts which illuminate the position. At the end of 1916 a special committee of the I'ouse of Commons was set up to investigate the manure situation in relation to Retain'* need of growing more food. This committee made a full investigation of the trade condtlons and reported that Britain could advantageously use 650,000 tons more basic slag annually than she was producing and 600,000 ton* additional super-phosphate. Some of *he super manufacturing plants had heen diverted to munition work, but so great was the need for manure that arrangements had to be made not only for restoring some of those plants to manure work, but Government assistance was given for the establishment of new plants in order to supply super which, when applied with lime, offered the best available substitute for basicslag. Before the war the ordinary convnercial basic slag had an analysis ranging from IS to 20 per cent phosphoric acid hut, spurred by the necessity of finding manure, trials were made with low-grade flour-spar slap with an analysis of from 12 to 14 per ceu 1 ' phosphoric and by additional applications this proved profitable. Before the war Germany used four times as much manure per acre as Britain did, I ut it is safe to say that war needs force I home upon Britain the via! need of manure and skilled agriculture hs nothing elsi; ever did. The broad conclusions to be reached upon the position are that neither Britain nor Germany-" for Germany herself would certainly use every ounce of manure she could set. have any ■lionit ainous reserves of slag awaiting shipment to New Zealand. Certainly as tine rocs on slag will again lie available as Home manufacturers overtake their demand and the home consumption declines as it well may since the war is over, hut it is extremely doubtful whether slag will ever he at the old level of prices. Quite possibly Vcv Zealand's best source of cheap nanure will he found to lie in tiie Pali fie, where rapid development of the phosphate deposits will now he possible as shipping facilities improve