Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-05-26

AGRICliITIfRNI

O. GID 81 <g'-s.1L1ss.---
HORTICULTURAL.
Gypsum-A writer in the Connecticut Cour-
AM says IL rs question of much Importance.
what rs the true theory Of the opera ton OF
GNpsum or Plaster OF Paris, when used az
manures The fact that Gypsum, is absorbed
or taken mp by vegetables a becomes COM
poneut part of them, has been fully demon.
strated by DIR. pavy. This Interesting disco.
very vas made by submitting to chemical
analysis. vegetables which had been MANFRED
oy gypsum; ana which produced ia considc
rabie proportion, pure Gypsum us one OF the
component parts-Here let il be remarked
that no decomposition Of The Gypsum took place
III IT'S becoming componen, part Of the vege
tables, otherwise, II would rave been mari
festlH incorrect 10 have said Gypsum if only
IT. eiements. (sulphur, oxygen and line were
tnnnd, These tacis support the idea that
Gypsum Is J00d suited Ia the nature OF sou,e If
fot All vegetables; aGd 1. 81, needs some prguu-
ration, (not aecomr osi,inrl that shalt tit il 10
70 taken mp or iinDibed with absolute certain.
"; otbeyWi>e II cannot prGmnte vegetation
ms preparation il H. conceived, may consist
III SIMPLY reducing its particles 20 the greatest
noS>ib'e degree OF miinOleuess, and may he done
ia various ways; hut eytdgut.S iLeieIs a Chuice
III The manner OF doing 1t.
hcn Gypsum is powdered in The usual wav
anc cast upon The ground, Il hGS still to he prs
porsd tor the vegetable To fake il up and is
undonhiediN done IN one Of two aud sometimes
PERTAINS P"rfig OF bOjh) WAYS: either, by beng
ot$Soired ia writer, or cGcinsd 10y the influence
think IL will not te denied that there is
very Erea, uncertainty connected VITA "A SOLD
toui ihst caicinatIOn in some way il most 70
De relied on, for the Elest approved writer's on
chehi-tTy say, that Gypsum is with difficulty
dissolved in 500 times its weight Of cold, or
s9D 81 hot wateC Is calciRed, or reduce- 10
pGwdRr, by a moderate heat; after WHICH il
abSorbS water rapidly. lit Is with difficulty
dissolved 10 80 times it's weight Of water when
IN continual csRtGet with it and &c we reject
that thiS - uearls ~ the proportion al sin hun
dre9 GdfIoHs III tctyr, 10 oRe gallon o. Civpsum ::
ava also t&hs otto consideration, the diiE,cuitN
iiad SIii,oF; seri. impOssihiiity, OF keeping
The necessary quantity OF water l.. contact " in
the Gypsum when cas-. upon the .round; the
nHccrf lltN OF solution, VIII be obviously Ycrv
great: and we shall p'obnhiy discern tie rea
son why GSpsnm does MOI produce much effect
on vet land 70 be, that although there Is sqsis
t're, there is note sn6iciegcy 20 effect solution
and set enough 10 prerent calculation.
10 show that Gypsum may be Cacined by
the influence of the sun, | viii detail an expe.
rlment 1hich was carefully made but will
previously observe, that The objec! IN making
tie experiment, was TO test the theory thar
GYPSUM when east upon the earth 10 promote
vegetation, operates hy lis TrRectiug power in
preventing the eXiitlaton OF no,stnrU which
lies beneath II, and IS so essential TO vegeta.
u,n. ttnS theory opposed TO the common
cDr. the Plaster OF Paris attracts moisture from
me atmosphere, and thereby promotes vegeta-
fion.
On Saturday The 9Th Of July, 1917, two cy
i;nnrlcal pots OF white Liverpool ware each
ccntaining halt pat and three inches diane
Ter we're iiied vltli yellow saud: there was
taNen tr0in Que o. them. sand sufficient to bat.
ance the bypsum which was afterwards in y
pow uoi very fine, spread on die surface cf
tbe sa'd and formed coat through which, ,Ae
sand ods not easily seen. TwOonures % wafer
were PM iut0 each OF the pofs--after which
tiey we're ~ a very accurate pair OF scales
found 10 balance eNactly. At ten O'Clock 4
~. they were placed side bs SIDE under I,va.-
the sun, which Shone BRIGHT that dsv After
toTr hours The pots were removed and wei.sl-
ed, and that win the Gypsum ~ the surfAre
OF the Saud weighed 10 giaIBs lie most Ilur-
ipg lie next (saDbath) day. they were pIared
siae by side. IN south window Of a chamber.
where aii tie windows were shut down the
whole time. Monday morning lIcy were agau
brought 10 the scales, and the pot with CVp-
sum weighed go grams the most. they were
fiien yrtnrUed 10 the place they occupied on
Saturday. when bot sun shone on tlein urf,l
nearly rs setting; when they were noped
again AMI weighed, aud 10 NV great surprise
they balanced precisely a. al first. Ilns of
f5nfsF eScIied my curiOiity well as surprise
and prompted nae 10 search for tir cause Of so
unexpected result The Gypsum was re-
moved with care to see ~ the sand heupafb n
appeared like the other there was no percep.
ibie difference; bnt il was perfectly apparent
thu Gypsum had undergone change of SOME
sDft. for it had become whiic crust, not tctv
firm - g. true bat sufficiently so 10 pteveti
was turned on its side but on being removed
from the sand u was found 80 fIiablc as 10 he
easily reduced between Tie fingers TO nearly
an imPalpab!e powder ~ the tongue, II was
toUnu 20 possess ihe siyptic property of quick
lime 20 sncn degree, d, 10 BE- Instantly reco..
nilcd by persons wtO anew nothing of the e.
perrGent which pienuccO IL.
~ tie proccss of ca,ciuation v 80 he found
tp'i OF TIE q"1iry IT Gypsum. mas been be.
fore remarked that ,p,"W pfaiy caicued-.-
this IS true, but il sheuid be borne IN mind
that a pure article is peaut. Much Of that
which j. bought aud sold ioT agricultural pur.
poses - FetN impure, amt the Ease or di6lcuIiy
Of calcinatlOb "lil be graduated precisely bV
IL, pnriis or impyriiy. I wOnid by 40 mcans
discourage The use Of sHch as IS now brought
90 ~. 2iihoash impure bui am eXtremsiy dc.
6lgoWs aiIat an easy aud certain test ,houid b-
krov io all who purchase aud use Tie article
bui especially 10 tiO~e who make 0rfgi1a,
purchases, tor 10 that way VIC haFe 90 .iayc tlic
quality Improved. GylmHm ~ the deg G. r Of
purify iu common use suav bc caic.red ,suh
very httie sxpeGce or trouble 10 Nils made
affer the manner ufa cOmmOn lime Kiln. after
which il wIb powder so easily a. nearly OF
quite 70 compensate lcr tie pToress OF calciu
at.C0. That which IS Of mact tess i0,ggiv viil
be beat cdicined M east Iyeu pet OF kctte.
If.rtfg,a, q ApiHf. isis.