Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1838-10-11
From the Salem Observer.
BONE MANURE.

Bones possess very fertilzing powers as
manure. In an experiment o, MIR. Wat
son of Perth Amboy, with bone dust, who
applied it to corn at the rate of sixteen
bushels to the acre, it exceeded in its effects
the highest manuring with yard manure
or with fish. 1t does not in general pro-
duce much effect the first year, unless it
has been fermented before the application
to the soil; this process of fermentation is
effected by mixture % bushels of leached
ashes with 40 bushels of bone dust, mois-
ten the whole with water, and at the end
of twenty-iour hours, tho .heap will COM
mence smoking, when the whole should be
turned-alter laying ten days it will be fit
for use. Bone dust is known 20 be in fer
meniation by the heat and the strong smell
before being fermented; it is white or of the
color of the bone; after, it assumes yell
lowish cast
The quantity of bone dust applied in or
binary cases, is about 40 bushels per acre
If the bones are ooarsely broken 40
bushels should be applied. but in this the
farmer must be governed by the quality of
the soil; poorer lands requiring more, and
those in higher state of cultivation, less.
Bone manure should be placed within a
bout two inches of the surface; and owing
to the small quantity used per acre, the
seed should be brought as near to it as pos
sible, without immediate contact which i.
is thought better to avoid. In the prepa-
ration, IA decided preference seems to be
given to bones broken small, and the half
inch bones are those most generally used.
Mr.. Birks states, that were he to till for
early profit he would use bones powdered
as fine as sawdust; il he wished to keep his
land in good heart, lie would use principal
ly half-lnch bones, and would prefer some
remaining considerably larger. The rea-
sons for which beliefare, that by using bones
of a larger size with the dust in them there
would be sufficient Of the small particles of
the dust to set the turnpl crop forward,
and sufficient OF the large particles of the
bone lett, to maintain the land in good con-
dition for the next crop-it is the small
quantity needed to produce given effect,
that renders manures of this class so re-
markable.
The soils to which they are best adopt
ed, are those of light and warm nature,
for upon wet or cold ground they have rare
l
ly been found to produce any sensible eff
feet. On heavy loans and clay, the ac-
counts other Operations have been almost
invaribly unfavorabIe, and it may be aid
down as a nessary qualification, in soil fit
for the application of bones, that it should
be dry.
CHLORIDE OF LIME. NJ. Dubuc has
discovered that muriate of lime, Chloride
of lime dissolved, is very active manure
or vegetable stimulant. He dissolves abou
Ia pounds of the dry chloride in abou
l6 gallons ofwater, and with this solution
waters the plants ut distant intervals
Potatoes were planted on the LIST of May il
two squares six feet assunder; the one wa!
watered with the solution, the other with
water from the cistern. The formet bed
which had been watered three times dur
ing the season, produced potatoes twice
the size of those in the second bed, ano
the vines were in the same proportion.