Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-06-21
CHEMICAL SALTS AS FERTAL1zERs.

1--WE experiments Win lHc lOllOWluS suits,
which may be obtained at any druggists
store. They may be mixed with soil and
applied in small quantities around the
young plants Those marked with it
is most desirable TO have tried:
Carbonate Of ammonia = alone and
mixed with swamp muck.
'Sulphate Of ammonia.
sMuriate of ammonia.
phosphate of ammonia.
Phosphate OF soda and ammonia.
phosphate of soda.
Nitrate of ammonia.
Nitrate of soda.
Nitrate of potash.
Nitrate of lime.
Comparative experiments made with
burnt bones and ground bones, will also
prove instructive.
l should like, also. to see comparative
experiments made win sea salt and gyp-
sum, especially if made in the interior Of
the State, where gypsum acts more favor.
ably than it does on the sea coast
Phosphate of magnesia enters into the
composition of many cerea. grains, and it
would be instructive to have experiments
made with the phosphate Of magnesla and
ammonia.
I have made analyses of Indian corn,
wheat, oats, rye, beans. peas, chesnuts, and
ofthe seeds OF many other plants both OF
the Monocotyledonous and Dicotyledo-
nous orders, 10 which discoveredthe pres
ence of phosphates of lime, magnesia and
ammonia. whichare alwaysin Colyledons.
These salts, you are well aware, can
come only from the soil, and their gener-
al presence in the Cotyledons of plants,
seems to indicate their importance In the
vegetable economy.
Their value as necessary ingredients
in the bodies of animals, must be obvious
to every rejecting man. If vegetables
did not contain phosphate of lime, it is
clear that aerbivo:ous animals could moi
live, or that they would have no bones,
and carnivorous animals who live on the
herbivorous, would be equally destitute of
them.
The phosphate of ammonia, which is
obtained from Indian corn, and from oth-
er plants. is also very important princl-
| pie OF animal nutrition.
The object of the above suggestions as
to comparative trial OF some oflhe chem
ical salts, is made with reference 10 the
synlhercal proof Of their value as fertiliz-
ers The chemist may make analyses in
his laboratory, and show the presence oil
certain matters in plants he may also
find them in the sol in small portions;
but the farmers experiments in the field
are required 10 order to render the proof
of their value as certain as it can be made
by any human means.
! Let me now suggest some cautions as
TO the management Of saline manures.
1t is we'll known that every powerful
manure if used in too large Quantities,
will injure, or even destroy vegetation
This is true. as respects saline and miner
al and animal manures, which have {
powerful action on plants. Saline mat
, lers, especially the carbonate Of ammonia
should be used III very sparing quantities
I If dissolved in water, not more than IL
r grains should be put into gallon of wa
ter, and the plants must not be wateret
with this solution more than once in q
! week. If used too freely, the plant vii
; run too much to foliage, or it may eve,
: be killed, exhibiting the effects we'll known
a to farmers, but enormously attributed Il
: the heat OF the manure. If used In a drJ
!, state, carbonate of ammonia may be mix
a ed with dry soil or peat, or with DIR.
swamp muck, which may be sparingl
! applied around the young plants. | know
v by nv own researches, that If used prop
i erly it is one of the most valuable ma
IS nures. Ia 1881, | learned fro1 Pro-
LIE Cog, in Clermont Ferred, 10 France
q who has made the best experiments on ga
3 line manures, that he had made success
! ful use of carbonate of ammonia as a lei
y tilizer, but he then supposed 1t woul
d prove too expensive for general econom
], ical use. Considering the minute quaint
5 ty required, and that it now costs but
y els. per pou nd, and will be afforded at
: much lower rate when in great demand
d | have no doubt but il. will soon beccm
q an article Of general use as an ingredier
. of composts.
m Suphate Of ammonia desire to has
tried against carbonate of amonia, in Of
der to test the views of Liebig as to h
g advantage of fixing the ammonia az su
= plate.
as Muriate OF ammonia is common pr,
., duct OF European volcanoes, and is exha
~ ed from their craters in enormous quaint
CT ties. Now it is known that those volca
a ic districts are remarkably fertile, and
o! will be Interesting to know how far th
is affects the fertility of the soil. 1t W
IN probably operate best on calcareous
sl- marty soils.
up Nitrate of ammonia is comparative
* high priced salt. but if, as | anticipate,
should prove powerful fertilizer, it nj
- be made at much lower cos, than II is
nrssent its use being now so limited n