The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-09-26

|
yet been tried. For the authorization of this
fact, the following certificate has been introdu-
ce6:
WE do hereby certify, that about nine years ago
we plaifered about four of ground, the middle
of old poor field with fix buhes of PLATTER of Pa
rs, and have plaiftered the ground nce yet
marured it with any other manure except rolling the
planted in the field before or nce paiitering of
it, and have always ddcovered that ipot of ground
bring at Leaf five times much of wheat or
gratis any other part of the field and have alto
ieeh talks OF clover upwards of four feet in height
and intend moving that fpot of ground this prefent
year although the fame has not had any Grafs feed
TOWN on it ince it paiRered; and coniider that
fpot of ground equal to any farm and believe
the platter have laiing effect than any other
manure we ever tried.-Given under our hands this
| 9th of Iune 1905.
WILLIAM CLAYTON.
ISRAEL CLAYTON"
| Perhaps it may be commended by fome that
the platter may be admirably adapted to the
foil OF the upper and interior country but that
it will not fuit the lands on the margin of the RI
vers and the fea. This petition, which is q be-
lieve) advocated by Judge Peters of Pennfyva-
mia in his treatife the ufes of the PLATTER, is
controverted by our author in the following
moft unsatisfactory manner. En- pal7,nf it may
gentleman of Mddlefex, who made the expert
ment with corn, on the margin of falt rlarfh,
declared in my preience that the Platter contii-
buted i'll mott afonifhing degree to the i'm
provement of the land
1t is the opinion of fone perons that the Platter
of Paris will have effect the lands the Salt
water tourfe, which may prevent number from ulng
1t. coniider this opinion erroneous: their lands in
fuch places generally fpeakng LIGHT and fandy on
iuch Il may not have any apparent effect the first
year. but think can venture to ALERT that in the
coure OF two three years it will make the lands
produce any Kind of grain, much better than without
From feveral years experience have found that foa
ing the wheat in strong brine, and then mixing the
plaster alfo with brine, is very beneficial | think
from its retaining the moisture longer than when mix
ed with water the wheat comes up quicker, and in
dry feion is advantage, which think was clearly
evinced my farm the last fall--indng in the ufe
| of brine advantage, cannot help differing from
thoe, who fuppofe it ,T have no effect upon the falt
| water coast. P. 69l
The reader will find many other observations,
interpreted throughout the work, on the ufes of
| the Platter.
| THEORY.
| There are three principal ways by which gyp-
fun or any other manure, may contribute to
the vegetation of plants. lift. 1t may fupply
1
the plant. I'd. 1t may GaDFmilate or Provide fome
other fubftance for its nouriihment or Sd. 1t
may without contributing to its nourifhment,
contribute TO its growth by Rimmlafing its vege-
tative powers. Is there any part of the Platter
which is afforded by the plant ? Is there any
fubitance which it either attracts, or which it
| decompofes, for the nouriihment of the plant /?
Does the PLATTER ftmulate the roots of the plant?
Thefe are con1equently the enquiries which may
| her Ifs he 11{sc IF hic Ia;N
| 1t is the opinion of iome, that it operates by
| its attraction for the moifture, which the plant
converts into nouriihment. Mr.. Binns has at
tempted to refu;s this opinion by the following
oDIeryatlc.:S
"PiaiGer has not the power of attracting from the
<as frequently aflertcd) but falt and lime have
for instance, if you will mix lime and strong brine
with it, it will make the plaster stick to the wheat
but without lime and brine, it will fall off in fhort
tinle unlels you are continually wettng it, Another
thing will prove that has not the powero attraeion
take fmal piece of platter and limestone first pulve-
rife each stone then cacine each parcel equally alike
wet and role each in ball, and you will find the ball
of plaster will dry up Immediately, and become har-
der and drier than when i'll crude state The limestone
will continue for lome time after the plaster is
dry, and will remain in fot this is fuiicient
prove that the plaster is competed OF parts de-
rent from that of linestoneThe plaster fuppoe to
Oh luJpntlTiC Ol
[P. 60
His own opinion of the operative principles
| of the Platter, are to myjudgment equally I'M
satisfactory
Sd. confder it to be Of difTolvent nature and
will d1olve the ground by one lower of rain al
moR quick as Ioaflugar. 1t therefore acts as an
immediate Rimu!us to the earth which no other
manure will do, it taking comfortable time for it to
| rot and mix with the foil
a." 4th. | believe it ponsnes afringent quality
for if flowed on light foil it will ltifen and clofe the
ground and thereby prevent it from waihing in gull
| lies.
" 9Th. l conceive it pofenes cooling nature to
the earth and vegetation; for if flowed gra corn
and heat in the heat of fummer, it will on lome foils
after hower of rain thew its effects in forty eight
hours but if flowed in the winter feafon it will make
thew until the fpriDg of the year, and thereby dif-
fer5 from any other kind of manure. p. 25
| Kirwan has attempted to refolye It's operation
into the fecond general method, which ! have
explained into its decompofng and afIimila-
ting power.
Mr.. Kirwan a1erts, " That the gypfum ufcd With
uccels in agriculture of brous texture and that
! clay lands, he believes to be more improved by it
than caoareouSones. The time Of fpreading it is in
February March, and it is then to be thiny strew-
ed grassland the rate Of about eight buhels 10