The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-11-09 00:00:00

MR SPOONER ON VEGETATION.

A lecture was delivered at the Blandford Fanner's
Club, on &hanky, October 23rd, by Mr. Spooner, of
Southampton, un " The influenoe of nitrogen and phi'a.
phorus, and their compounds on vegetation." The
meeting was numerously attended. Mr. hpuoner, after
a few introdnotory remarks, went on to 'how that nitro'
I gee was one of the simple bodies and the most abundant
of the gases of our atmosphere, where it was inieshani-
°ally united with oxygen, hydrogen, and • little err-
' bonic acid. Nitric acid he pointed out as almost the
strongest known acid, yet it Wee composed of nitrogen
and oxygen, two of the elements of the atmosphere.
He also showed that it existed in our manures and
food. Nitrogen forms part of all the food that sup-
Porte animal life. Albumen contains abundance of nitro-
gen, therefore it he an important compound that restores
what is lost by the wear and tear of mueole. Fat,
sugar, and starch do not contain nitrogen, but are respira-
tory compounds that will not support life. Animals fed
on these substances alone will die through the want of
fiesh•forining compounds. Although respiratory food
alone cannot support life, it is required to keep up ani-
inal heat and prevent the ill effects of • cold climate.
Butter, fat, sugar, and starch are all useful for the pur-
pose of warming the animal body. There is a remark-
able oorrespondenee in the vegetable and the animal body
between the food and the body of the animal. See the
hard worked labourer who sustains himself on beans and
bacon. Beans supply the wage of muscle, which is con•
stantly going on, whilst the bacon assists in the same
office and helps to keep up the supply of fat and animal
heat. Physiology and anatomy must here explain what
chemistry fails to do. As with man and other aniinele,
so with the cereals; they require much nitrogen, but it
is in the form of nitric acid ammonia out of which they
form gluten, die. There are many sources from whence
it can be derived, but the most soluble forms in which it
is given to the plant are salts of nitrates. Nitric acidic
• very Important ingredient in our manures, and much
used by the late Mr. Pusey, by whom it was first used.
At one time a doubt existed whether the good effect of
nitrates Wei caused by the nitric acid or the hue, but
this was soon cleared up by direct experiments, which
proved unmistakeably that the base html little to do with
the benelloial tuition 110 apparent on our corn crops,
and which followed the application of nitrate of soda in
particular. Nitric acid is ever present in the
atnioaphere, and is washed down by the rain,
This will in part amount for the vivifying
effect of a thunder shower. Thunder stigma generally
follow a drought, mid the accumulated nitrio 41411 is
therefore more abundant, We often find it in wells,
where it may be seen un the walls in the shape of nitrate
of lime. A French chemist found nitric sold In groat
abundance in rain that fell near Perla, from WlllOll 110
concluded that the land received mph inure of thin
said than woe ruticiprted. Here, however, lie was
at fault, a. woo tifterwiirde proved by the elieuliata of
title wintry, The great quantity found by the French
aneroid Wee due to the promisity of a great oily, It I
appeare that about 714 at nitrogen per mire is brought
down annuelly by rain, Wlllll4 ell MON of wheat require.
from 441ba, to 4 She,, which shawls that we walnut de-
pond 140110 011 SllO 1111111411111611 W and on the mine for a
supply of nitrogen to our °rope, lii the experimenta of
Mr. Laws, the land got a eufliolout enmity of nitrogen
6114 enough of bite minerele Weenie eoluble to grow VI
bueiteie uf wheat per acre, hut title doeti not prove thel
Ole number of huithele unit he grown MI all 1111116 11.11110
66110 IMO a greater power than 0011011 to ettireet nitrie
cold 111111 ammonia from the alitioopliere, and 111104 a
'miter power to return what is imr,uuugiit down but them
Imy 11111 0141111. Much sidle wlllnatitrally radii's+ *greeter
number of hooliele then othent 11141 have ln alumina
In them, Mr. Noiltli'e coil of hole Wootton is one of
0110116 wile that will
_produce more without 11111114 N Om
minty ;mile that are Wee Monotone, The experiment* of
Mr 111111111 111111 Mr, hitwee eitill,l not he carried out on
other toile with any probehillty of the 11411111
There le mind' illtrle acid Met from moot Node, especially
from thoet tliel are highly Rommel, Mr, Poiliieoll
Verllllllllll 11161111 M very highly for hope, tieing woollen
rap, shine, end ttmultttal immure, The 1111,10 cold Mel
from an sore of this still would ha iniMulent but 11111111100
four or live acres of intol thst is brined In the tonial
wry, Moat of this la het during the winter mine, whets
there Is little evaporetion sod the fail of ralut is great.
Title point* out to tie the Imminence of applyitor tiltpebe
of pods in the spring of the year, when there is no fear
of 1164. Pal 010 1441161 are then growing end the whittle
matter Is taken up buy the pleb as 1111(14 as It 16101111 M
44111411, Me, 0111001100 1164 known meek greater anti
Maier results (mu the two of tiltritts of soda than front
etilphate of 111111110111 C Alkali** in *elution were then
withal boa introgenotte wheal mews to show Ili distil.
Pellon of amnion* anti were pointed out al taking the
ISM libel as when lime was &titled to the euil. To
leach us the shot of nitrogen on dittbrent orope, Mr.
11, limn read the following extract from a paper lately
published by Mr, Lewes I—" Beane and Glover were
shown to yield severed Come as touch nitrogen per acre
68 wheat and barley. Yet the growth of thelegionl•
noes erope, parrying off is inueli nitrogen au they did
fww
""ti • wheatlei whilstioaneti oiitailflikaislol tallow (an
wsitai
knihl ttin elelsontiii: 'ffkr
ofett
holefiruwavhwailthll.l
able nitrogen of two years Into one ,1 stud
vi smiling nitro-
no re us manures, had each much the &Me effrol In In-
creasing the produes of the serial mope, Other import-
mental mull. were addtmed, which Illustrated the feat
that four years of wheat, alternated with fallow, had
OM as mush nitrogen In the eight years as sight amp,
of wheat grown oonsecutively. Again four Grope of
wheat grown in alternation with beans had given nearly

the some amount of nitrogen per acre at the four grope
grown in elternetion with fallow I ouneeipionliy, alio
mush About the sena 66 She eight ems* of wheat grows
eunssieutively. In the ewe of the alternation with
beajl,mtherefore, the whole or the nitrogen Men* In
the as themee aetree w civet mid nbovellial which was
ob mid during the emus oriel of piers In wheat 'lone,
whether it way/rows **Retentively or in alWruetion
with fallow," /raw Shim experinienle go to prove the,
our broad leaved simile du nut require supply of
nitimputoos manure but thal they have the pewee to
oblein it front other Noumea Although ell Nee of tur.
nips eontein 11l lb. . In the bulbs and Rh Ilse, In the
yet they do set esquirel. emptily lit the immure. The
eeperbitente of IJr, Voelelier 6411114111 the (million iirm
ihniely Weld, 11161 the phocillielve ere peeu
or the turnip w eilistohis is often of little VA sie.
The feeding off turnips on the leml is 6 great ileum
of momenta for the s.r,sls iferpooner then drew
attention to pamphlet 11111 hie
mid whieh Is entitled '"A few Mils lot lumen en
Quminerdial loperplimplials• whigh lie klieiyht
there woe an ettiwk on him, He Nell the follow:1ig
yfirograpli i—" We tinge heard e lugs iiianufeeil/
this MUNN, who lolls largely in the Illin
whet, U.S erguitiente hi 'trout of mineral plias
iii en Insoluble form, WWI speaking of the green ten
of b'erniosin, that 'allelel ebundinee of eoprollWe, eh
thet yields good imam of turnip without manure—laii
on which ouperplimiplosts Of lline toot little se no 'glue
—he wiliwa out to the fennel/ that II proved the in.
eorreetness of ehemlste—they hiring sesierte4 that the
minerel phosphele of lime in an insoluble form
wee valueless. We presume OM this itianufseturet,
in the heal of his oIIUMOIIIII, forgot that the
plente at Yornhein had three thouesnd Hines
is great a Milk and weight In the 801 l se
is supplied in most of the moninerelel euperpheepliatee
now sold, The setion of the oarbonfe kohl with which
the rain wake in elsorgesi, on so gnat a body would,
through 5 rotellon, prepare more than would be required
for a stop of tutnlici I but what would be the vilest on a
few pounds, as supplied In our manures, during Noe or
sits short months? Itlneal phosphate is not worth dos
shillings per ton mama dissolved by sold, but we par
ill per ton for It in the menttfaetured superphosphate'.
Mr. Spooner remembered hut's' sold mush In favour of
mineral phosphate in en Insoluble form, byt thinks that
lie wee perheps led further then he would hers been lied
lie not a great desire to impress ea his hearers the MP
portion, ef using what be well knew to he a greet
Boone for phoepliatm, Mr, Spooner concluded that if
minentl phosphate was not used in nudging ootutnereial
superphosphate of limo, the latter would, In • very
short time, be worth NM per ton. Again, If bone esh
win not eolletted And brought from the region where the
fat, bone., Se., of the iminial were burnt IA fuel It
would tend to the saws result. He could not agree with
the author in to the value of amnionia in turnip unwire.
64 an experiment which he lied instituted had ended in
an Menu, of weight where an ammonicid dressing bad
been applied in addition to superphosphate of lime.
Mr. Spooner agreed with the author of the pamphlet
that soluble phoephate alone would carry the plant
through every nage of its growth, and a good crop
would be the result; but how expensive to use mob
superphosphate I We unut eidoulete the expense be-
fore we use a minors in ouch a soluble form. It would
be en isilvantage to the manufacturer to make the super-
phosphate more soluble as it out" much more to make
the first few pounds soluble than it does what is made
efterwards ; but if certsin portion was made soluble
the insoluble phosphate of lime would be Acted on by the
natural solvents, and would Immune soluble by the time
it was required by the plant. Then why go to the ex-
pense of dissolving the insoluble phosphate that is nose
done?

GRAIN !IMAM INTO HULL.— During the list
fdrtitight the following amount§ of dnty have been paid
on foreign oorn imported into Hull 19a. on
7,639 qrs. of wheat ; £1,214 18s. on 24.296 qre. of
barley ; £219 lla. on 4,381 gra. of oats; £lO5 16e. on
9,116 gm. ,of beans; 137 lle. on £2,341 qrs, of paws ;
£147 ss. on 2,945 qrs. of Indian corn ; £2Ol 15e. bid.
on 10,759 cwt. of wheat dour ; and £lO 9s. lad. on
530 awt, of potato flour. Total duty, £2,418 17s. 7d.

LORD WATILIVORD'II ANNUAL SAGIC or
The Marquis of Waterford.' annual sale 0111110 off at
t'urraglimore on Monday. The day was remarkably
fino, and the attondanoe large and influential. The
analysis of the saki prostaito the following results :
Raid Twenty•aix otooplipoliaso race bongos, hunter.,
Ito., for ii."J,487 ; four four year-olds, £204 ; By° three.
year ditto, 2187 lu4s.; five two•year ditto, £7ll ; ono
foal, 217 ;five brood mares, nil. Total solos, £3,0110
Unsold i Two stallions (rooervoil prices, £1,300 ; two
huntora, 000 ; three throoloar.ulds, 21100 ; throe
two.year ditto, £l,lOO ; ehrliteen onoloar ditto, £4,120.
Reserve value, 0,220, The ()unwell ossomblod in the
ouurt-yerd, In the front of the house, about twelve
o'olook. dome of them palmed through the static.,
' inimeatlng the horse., and others aroused thonisolvee
chatting, until luncheon was Rlllitilllloo.l. As usual
It was laid out in the dinlncruoin, and the viands and
liquors woro of the choicest description. The number
of lots eubtiiitteil to notice was seventy-four, and they
were passed through the ring so ropidly, that the sal.
was over at half-past four o'clock, Lord WaWrford
was presont during the entire solo, and several carriers,
with lulls, in them, took their plows near time ring
and watched the proceedinp with touch Interest,