NAURU PHOSPHATES.

Shannon News, 1 April 1924, Page 3

NAURU PHOSPHATES.

OWNED BY THE EMPIRE. The phosphates found in Ocean and Nauru Islands have been proved to be of extreme value to the farmer. They have originated from guano, being a material which has been produced by the interaction of sea-bird guano with' the coral rock of which the are formed. They contain 85 to 89 per cent, of phosphate of lime, calculated as tri-basic phosphate of lime, and are particularly "free from iron and alumina. The material is readily soluble and in a particularly suitable form for growing crops.

These phosphates are owned on a truly Imperial basis, the arrangement being such, thait the United Kingdom has a clainn tq 42 per cent, of the output of the phosphate at /cost price, while 42 per cent, belongs to> Australia on a similar basis, and .16 per cent, to New Zealand. The meed for ample supplies of phosphate on the wide grassland areas of Britain and Ireland is very great, and arrangements have been made by means of which tiie phosphates from Nauru and Ocean Islands will be supplied to the British farmers mixed with basic slag, so that a finely ground material results, containing in different grades from 40 to 65 per cent, of phosphate, or the material may be supplied without basic slag, in which case the phosphate content is from 80 to 85 per cent. FAIR PRICES GUARANTEED.

The arrangements which have been made are such that' no exploitation of the farmer will be permitted, the price being so controlled that the far-' •iner only has tpj pay a limited profit above the costs, of production and distribution. In general it is recommended that the (phosphate and basicslag mixture should be applied to grassland on, the basis of 4 to 6 cwt. per acre according to the grade, while on arable land a dressing of about 4cwt.. per acre will be usually found to be'suitable for the wholes of the rotation. One important point which has to be taken, into consideration is that by using a rich manure of this type ail the costs of freight, cartage, and handling are reduced, because the total quantity required is smaller than when a less rich material takes Its place. Land is practically valueless for raising crops unless the necessary plant foods contained in it can be regularly renewed. Hience the enormous importance of the fertiliser supply, which in the future may. well, determine the total normlation which this 'earth can maintain.