ASSISTING AGRICULTURE.
SEARCH i'OR ROCK PHOSPHATE.
The Government offers, for a n&r/ discovery of rock phosphate, £500 if on Crown land, and £250 if on freehold, on condition that it is reasonably accessible and can be worked at a profit, that it is sufficient for the needs of the country for five years, that it can be sold at a price that will pay the / farmers "to use it, that it will average not less than 50 per cent, of trioaioic phosphate. Poorer phosphates may be granted a reduced bonus. In order to assist young geologists, the Government has specimens of. such rock kept at the offices of the stock inspectors throughout' the country, where it may be seen and a leaflet obtained describing it, and explaining a rough mode of testing. The chief chemist has also a few specimens for free distribution. :; ... , , V The Miiburn phosphate had lain in boulders in full viiew of trained geologists 'and others who had visited the quarries for 20 years, yet none of them " had discovered what it was. tAt both Miiburn and Clarendon the material is of a dirty yellowishwhite or light-gray colour, and some patches have tinges of pink. Sometimes it is crystalline. 'It usually resembles amorphous limestone, but effervesces very little on addition of dilute hydrochloric, sulphuric, or nitrio acid. It is also harder and heavier than limestone, but sorter than' felspar or other rocks likely to be mistaken for it. Some specimens exfoliate (or shed their fragments in layers) when struck with a hammer. - ■ ."..:.-../. - : . ..'./•; ' ' The Government chemist sums up the appearance of nhosphatic rocks as follows: — (1) Phosphates may have almost any colour usually whitish, yellowish, grayish, greenish, pink, or black: , (2) softer than felspar or quartz,: but harder than limestone; . (3) heavier than limestone or quartz; (4-) usually non-crystalline, but may be crystalline; (5) does not effervesce -with acid.
The Clarendon quarries have already produced 15,000 tons: of fertiliser, which, at. 60 per cent, .analysis and Is pet unit value, has been worth £45,000.
ASSISTING AGRICULTURE.
New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13796, 8 July 1908, Page 11
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