VALUE OF PHOSPHATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18519, 2 October 1923, Page 12

VALUE OF PHOSPHATES.

■■'■' Speaking at a lecture .; on grass land '.■"■'■ improvement, held under • the auspices of ■" the Royal Ulster' Agricultural Society, Professor ;G. . Scott Robertson, D. Sc., F.T 0 , ;, gavo the• following important facts:' (1) Phosphates ;have a lasting benefit ; oven after- nine years the improvement, which had been brought about by the application of lQcwt. of basic slag ' . ■would ' bv. no means :be exhausted. -(2) It is possible to-retain the improvement by repeating \ the application of, phosphates, ' the : response becoming ;' more marked and not less marked as; the years go on. (3) Even ; though the -wild white f lover may tend to disappear towards the end of each- period it comes back with renewed . vigour with each , application of sing. '■■'■'. '~-.•' He further gave, :as his opinion that . the problem of grass ,laT<d development is of the greatest possible importance in Northern Ireland. It is estimated that in er.ch year there goes from the six counties of Northern Ireland 2000 tons of pure phosphates in the form of cattle, which is equivalent to 5000 .tons per an ; , mini of the highest grade 40 per cent, basic slag. No farmer who sows grass seed should omit to apply,phosphates, and Professor Robertson stated that although nitrogen '!■ gives a heavier yield of seed and a heavier crop, it sets up grasses .at. the . expense of clover, find as a consequence r. the second . and third year' grazing is poorer..' ■-.:'..•■