The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-03-19
A AGRICULTURAL l..
.COMmoN SALT AS "A ,FERrILIzER,

As noticed remark, in o late number
oiiths Farmer, on this subject, wish to
offer the following remarks:
.shFor the superior growth of vegetables,
various substances are necessary. II is
not enough that most Of vegetables have
carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen
the four grand constituents in their COM
position. know that these are often cal
led essential, and that some others are
spoken. of as accidental, or at least, not
necessary to the perfection Of vegetable
matter. II seems 10 me that this is loose
mode OF expression. and that the implied
notion needs qualification.
Thus chemistry shows that sulphur and
phosphorus are essential 10 the existence Of
the fbrine and albumen of animals, the
former being the substance of muscle, and
the latter of nerpe. LIEBIG, and others,
have proved that vegetable fbrine and al.
bumen have the same composition as the
animal; and hence it is the necessary in
ference, that animals obtain these sub
stances, ready formed. from their food,
either animal or vegetable. The vegeta.
bic world sustains a direct Importance TO
the animal, in the production Of these
great vegetable substances, which become
by the process Of digestion and nutrition
and assimilation, the most necessary of an
imal compounds. The same remark is
true of casein, which is an important por-
ton of milk, and abounds in cheese.
In the grasses and grains, the essential
food Of man and numerous animals, there
exist silex. phosphates of iron and lime,
&c, potash. soda, lime, magnesia, some
times little common salt, and some 9TH
ers. These substances are necessary for
the plants themselves, or, they are con-
stituents Of the plants and Of their fruits.
Nov, these are obtained chiefly from the
soil, and if the soil does not possess them,
they are to be added in the supply ofma-
nures. Wheat, it is we'll known, must OBJ
tain from the earth a certain amount of
phosphate of lime for its highest state of
excellence.
1t is to be expected that these substances
will exist in most soils. Hence the rocks,
by whose disintegraton soils have been
formed, are found to contain them, in their
natural state. If they have been removed
by any means from the soil, the farmer
must supply the adequate quantity Of them.
This is necessary. though small part Of
scientific agriculture. Besides the COM
mon substances and fertilizers in soils,
some rare ones have seemed TO be valua-
bic, as sulphate of iron or copperas, COM
mon salt or chloride of sodium, sulphate
of lime or gypsum, &c.
'a Common salt is found in plants Of the
ocean, or seaweeds, while potash exists in
land plants. The latter we know to be
great fertilizer, and important in plants Of
the land, but not in those of the ocean.
Hence we mil ight expect to find common
salt of little consequence TO land vegeta.
bles, but Of great to seaplants. Hence,
too, it would be probable that certain
proportion Of common salt would be found
in soils, if it was essential TO the consti-
tuition of land vegetables, as is silex, pot
ash. phosphate Of iron, and the earthly
phosphates and carbonates.
Many years since ELKANA WATSON,
Esq, stated to the Berkshire Agricultural
Society, at its great anniversary Show and
Fair, the favorable results attained by
some agriculturists in Pennsylvania, from
the use of common salt as a fertilizer
Other experiments have since been tried
with some success. The analyses of veg
etables, by Prof. EMMoNs, in Vol. IL, of
his State Agricultural Report, show the ex-
istence of the elements Of common salt in
some soils and in some parts Of the vege-
tables. The quantity, however is small,
sometimes mere trace of the chlorine.
On the whole, the probable conclusion is
that common salt is useful as fertilizer;
that only small quantity is taken up by
vegetables, and only a small proportion Of
il is necessary or profitable.