THE AIULTOIt.
. . -
THE USE' OF.BONES AS A MANURE.
BtBee.
' Tije mode of cultivation in the Southern "Atlan-
tic States has been well calculated to exhaust the
soil of their phosphates, and thus make the appli-
catibVof bones as a manure fa matter of general
interest to your readers'. By the phosphates, I
mdan the .union of phosphoric acid with potash,
soda or lime. ? ' ; ,
' . ' As introductory to what I have to say 1 will
give a table which represents the substances which
compose tho bone of a sheep (the ileum,) as taken
from an analyst made by Dr. Thompson, and re
icrred to bvtfbhnston, in his Agricultural Chcm-
Organic, or combustible matter, ,43.3
PhospMb'of Lime, ; r 50.6
, CarJ)oiate of Lime, ''?V. 4.5
Vilagnesia, ' - r ' . 0.9
vvSrfa?::'' ":'w:'y: - " ' ' ' 0.3
Potash,
. 0.2
99.8
. Which table shows, that of every hundred pounds
- in its'matcrial state, fifty pounds and six-tenths of
' another, pound aro composed of phosphate of
jime. -, r . f :, f ,
" It is not, however, my intention to go into de-
tails of the composition of bones, or dwell npon
tho histofy of their uses as a manure. Their uses
' and very great benefits in English husbandry, are
well known to all conversant with the progress of
agriculture in. that country, and the Remand has
been greater than the supply, since their first in-
. troduction about the year 1766, by Anthony'St.
Ledger.. Hy object is to give two of the most ap
proved modes of preparing bones, to be applied to
Hhi land, andvin?6inhls7know
serve your readers by giving, the opinions and di
rections of those whose reputation and merits will
no doubt' command rospect' and.' attention. The
able and experienced editor of American Far
merf speaking in reference to this subject, uses the
following language: - , .
'" We know of- no manure thai we would so soon
rely upon as a lasting improver of the soil, when
k used jnj compost with ashes, salt and mould, or
' wheA'mixed with and left in heap for two or three
weeks, -with about one-fourth -the usual quantities
of barn yard manure. If prompt action frather
than permanent effect be desired, which should
not be the case, the mode of producing this effect
is to reduce them to a pulp with dilute sulphuric
acid, and then mixing them to dryness with ashes
and mould. v . - v v '
.In regard to the manner of prppariug and using
bones, we .will add to that which has been said tho
remark of Stephensin his Farmer's Guide : ,
u Of lato it has been'deemed better to use bone-
dust in combination with sulphuric acid, or rather
the oil of vitriol,4 as sold in the shops, than by it
self, or with farm-yard 4 dung. The effect of tho .
action of the acid on the bones is to reduce them
to a pulpy mass, which is made in this manner ; .
u. Mix a given quantity of vitriol . with twice its
bulk of water, in any convenient vessel, when tho
mixture will evolve a considerable degree" of heat.
Put into a"larirft tnh nr trnn rrh rlnnKlft fViA wpirrl-it
of the bone .dust as of acid, used, and pour tho
mfxture of acid and .water gradually) and by times
oyer it Ah action will soon be observed arising
from the escapo of carbonic acid gas, and in time,
in stirring, the bone-dust will be entirely dissolved
and 'forma mass; with the acid and water. Tho
mass may be dried with riddled saw-dust, dry ashes,
or fine, dry vegetable mound, "and the granulated
powder thus prepared may be sown either by itself,
or in'combination with farm-yard dung.
Uhcrushed bones will answer the purpose as well
as crushed, but the acid will take much loncrer
time to act upon them."
In the above extracts it has been the writer's
object to present information of a highly impor
tant character to the farmer, and in as plain lan
guage and in as few words as he has been able to
command. South Carolina Agriculturist
Poll Evil in Horses. For the benefit of thoso
who have or may hereafter have horses that havo
poll evil or fistula, I would say, don't sell the an
imal for a trifle, or give him away 5 but cure him
sound and well I care not how long it has been
running, it can be cured with one dime ; yes, ono
dime's worth of muriatic acid, will cure tho worst
. case of old poll evil. First, wash the sore well
with strong soap suds, then drop eight or ten drops
of the acid in it twice a day, until it has the ap
pearance of a fresh wound j after which, it should
be washed clean with suds made from castile soap,
and left to heal, which it will quickly do if the
acid has been used long enough j but if it does
not get well, apply the acid again until it does
cure, for it is a sure remedy, and will not fail if it
is applied until the diseased flesh, is all burnt out.
rrairic Farmer.
it