New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-10
SCIENCE.

New METHOD OF PRODUCING STEEL-Mr.
HeatOn OF Nottingham, England, mas invented rOCt9
when consists in using cylindrical converter lined with
drebreks, and an upright funnel 10 carry on Tue pro
box with movable bottom, containing from seven 10
nine pounds nitrate Of soda, which Is covered WIN
Eto tbe converter from q o1pola. Rapid combustion
takes place for about two minutes and har AZ htst
given OF somewhat similar 70 the scintlatons obsery-
bic In the Bessemer process Wren the aclion Has SUI
20 DC steel a substance closely resen3hngt lnspO-
cess which vet wen syseatzed is TO be ap-
duced la large quantities IN stafortisillre.
ARTIFICIAL, RINDsTONEs.-RansOme's artl-
fetal sOne-the sicate Of hmehss been found TO make
excellent erndstOnes remarkable Ior their unborn
and hneness OF grain. PAIR OF these were ds ~
tested in England against pair OF Newcastle sQS y, this
der similar conditions AccOi,lhg 10 'He u HisYoefer
trial bar Of steel thrcefourts Of an inch 70
placed in an IRON tube Xed 70 the IIS m b
against orc end Of the steel rod and thus KEPT e ouci
end constantly against the g1ndstone In sixteen NH
NV tie arcal stone; the rod was placed on the
H. ,er and amer eleven hours Of similar contact the
rod was ground away one quarter OF an lhcItio Ndlue
animation OF specimens Of this stone exhibition in
New-York forced to believe this report Is greatly
exaggerated
TuF POrATO.-Mr. George May of Benthall,
England in his prize essay the potato gives the results
OF experiments l29 trial plots, which may be sumheu
l. Every increase the size Of the set from one ounce
b eight ounces weight, produces an increase III ne
crop much greater than the additional weight OF the set
planted The net profit and above the weight
of sets in planting four ounce sets IN e9 Oh ore 70
three and four tuns per acre; ana te Iufher
profit the increase Of the size OF the set IRON Iour
ounces to eight ounces, averaged aOou nNe ts ~. az,
all the intermediate steps partNhS prOpoiuond'oly VI
q The advantage Of large sets marked in the
late than in the early varieties.
g. In the use Of small SETS OF rom one 10 ifee OUNCES
m weight large balance over and above the weight OF
the sets was obtained by planting from six to nine inches
aFart in the rows than at wider intervals.
Increasing the intervals at which the sets are planted
OF the largest SIZE in the rows TO more than twelve
Inches dmiusheS thccrOp ana the wider intervals induce
IL the weight Of the produce OF the INDIVIDUAL
s. It may be broadly stated that the weight of the crop
q prcp0rOnate 70 the weight per acre OF the sets 9
sic5t r acre Of large efs The fact is however Of
limited application, weight OF very small sets eqn
she ground except by planting them so close as 10 DC
prejudcia TO the crop The advantage, therefore, OF
G. Weight weight sets produce as nearly as pos
sbe the same weight per acre as whole potatoe DH LOT
the given above the weight OF the sets shou MOI
De reduced Iy subdivision. ---o..,o, .,
thtir weight than the larger sets .
s. When the intervals between the sets in rows are d.
nushed TO less han foot the produce OF each ihdl-
vidual set proporonatey Diminished Though nus
not necessarily accompanied by 1l9nnl3 40 .! te
weight OF the crop no increase IN the produce OF eac IN
dfvdua caused by placing the sets at intervals
With reference to the relative produce of different
varieties late red sort takes precedence t9rousoHt e
Sspenrer;s K,ng Of Fiukts and The Queen Of Fuke"
are much more prolific than the ordinary variety.
As to the manure best adapted to tho potato 1t was
found by Lang that all nitTOgenous dressings tired IN
Deyonshiro were rather preiudca than otherwise, ~ r.
cards the potato disease but that wood ashes (Which
abound potash and lime and salt were beneficial
Experiments with regard to manures were carried on
under the direction of Prof VOecker, and on examining
them the following deductions have been made:
l. The crop obtained by the use OF rotten Darn
yard manure
2 superphOsphate and crude potash.salts-a purely
mineral mauuTlng-gave nearly equal increase. Inc
mixture Of superhOsphate and crude potash appear
10 be specially useful for root crops light land.
g. Common salt enhances the efficiency OF the super
phosphate and pOtash-sats, but when used alone u
slightly dimnishes the crop
POtash-salts applied alone though by no means the
most desirable for potatoes nevertheless haG
better effect than salt; for While the crude
tashsalts gave increase Of nearly cw per acre,
common salt produced and Al less than the un-
manured plots on the average.