Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1912. PROTECTING THE CHILDREN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 72, 21 March 1912, Page 4

Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1912. PROTECTING THE CHILDREN.

At the last meeting of the Stratford School Committee a matter of considerable importance was again, brought under notice by the . Headmaster, Mr F. Tyrer, who spoke of the constant danger to little children at the railway crossing in Fenton Street. Despite every official care and all that teachers can do to minimise the risk to the children, the danger is a very regl one. Just as school turns out, trains from north and south arrive, and shunting operations are proceeding. The whole of the scholars residing on the south side of the Patea river, numbering no less than 311 Mr Tyrer finds, have at present to use the Fenton Street crossing at or about 9 ,a.m., and again at 3 p.m., when the crossing is in greatest request by the railway service. Mr Tyrer therefore thinks that if the matter were properly placed before the Borough Council that body might arrange to construct a footbridge over the river opposite the school. We certainly agree that the suggestion is a good one and well worth the Council’s consideration. It is also so important, as materially minimising the risk to life and limb of many children of tender years, that Government assistance might quite reasonably be asked. Whether that is granted or not, the work ought to be undertaken, for the ratepayers, as a whole, must be more or less interested, and the expenditure would be for the protection of their own little ones.

BASIC SLAG. The experiences of many fanners avlio have during the last few seasons substituted basic slag for phosphates for manuring their root and fodder crops because of the prevalence of club root are borne out by experiments that have been made at Iluakura tins year. A writer in the “Agricultural Journal” who has lately visited this demonstration area makes the following reference to slag, which should encourage its more general use, both as a top-dressing for pasture and for crops: The Iluakura farm of instruction has conveyed many important lessons in the past as to value of basic slag as a manure for the soils of the Waikato, especially in the topdressing of pastures, and this season again further demonstrations of its value are being provided. A striking example of the application of slag in the manuring of mangels is provided. Two rows in the mangel crop were left unmanured, while on either side of these rows were treated at the rate of scwt of slag and SOI b of potash per acre. The effect is outstanding. In the unmanured rows few plant germinated, and these are of a stunted character. On the basic slag row.--the roots germinated well and show s; icndid development, Whil? tin slag has made this fine showing it is onh fair to -ay that basic superphosphate promises to gWo the best, result. This experience is a repetition of that at the MounmVu.Ui experimental farm last season. It is a common misconception that basic slag i<f slow in action. The expen-

enco at Ruakura ami otlfer farms of the department emphasises the incorrectness of this view. As a matter of fact, basic slag is generally just as quick in action as superphosphate. It is practically instantaneous in its action, either on pasture or root crop, but whether this effect is mechanical or chemical is not known. r ihe use of superphosphate will give a larger bulk of crop and a heavier tonnage of roots, but the feeding value will not be so high as where basic slag has been tne stimulating agent. It has nccii proved that the greater acidity ol .superphosphate encourages club-root disease, while basic slag has the opposite effect.