Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-07-06
From The Southern Planter.
Action Of Gypsum ON Organic Ma
mslreS.
ny PROF. CAMPBELL, orwAsnlSGroS COLLEGE,


nlres.
Certainly one Of the most important ques-
tons with the farmer, especially in the old
or States, is this-"How may fertilizers be
best obtained, and made most profitable
Soils that have been long utder culhva-
tion must necessarily become deficient IN
many Of the clements OF fertility, unless
the exhausted supply be restored IRON tme
TO time hy proper applications Without
this restoration, farming would soon become
= proftless business. Labor cannot bring
from a soil what is not there. When you
wish your horse to do long and faithful ser
vice, Won feed him we'll; IT. you do not. his
strength soon fails, and whip aad spur are
insufficient 10 revive his droop,ug energies
So, plough and hoe are equally inefficient.
in revlving the energies OF a STARRING yfeid.
Economy in sustaining or restoring the
strength of soils, is no less important than
economy in feeding horses and cattle
But. as an abundance of such nutritious
food as may arise from the products OF home
culture is most economical in feeding STOCK,
so the free application of home made ma
nure. weU collected aud nell Kept, is the
most economical Of all fertilizers. The far
mer who GOES abroad to buy guano, while
he leaves at home masses of manure, from
which wind and rain are rapidly carrying
off some Of the very same elements that
give to guano its value, is not acting more
wisely, than he who leaves his hay to be
drenched with rain and bleached by the
sun, while he goes out to buy oats or bar
lev to take the place of hay in his next
winters feeding. Let what you have be
made as available as possible; them more
is needed, it will be time to begin TO look
abroad for it. After all proper means have
been resorted to for collecting and preserv-
ing your barn yard, stable ana hog pen ma
nures, ashes, soapsuds. &C., You can better
afford an occasional ton of guano for the
sake of an extra crop of wheat, and sue
ceeding "fair set" OF clover
In collecting fertilizing materials for far
ming purposes, two leading objects SHOULD
be kept in view:
/. To prevent, as far as possible, any loss
of value in the material during the interval
elapsing before it can be conveniently ap-
piled to the soil. 2. To increase its value,
if this can be done proftably.
NV present wish is to state briefly, that
which others have stated before, but in a
different form-what careful experiment
dictates as the most efficient means OF at
tanning both these objects.
am we'll aware how little confidence
farmers, generally, placein chemical theo-
ries and laboratory experiments, before
their claims have been fully established by
the unerring test Of practice. Hence, for
the satisfaction and benefit OF those whom
il may concern, Ihaye just concluded an
experiment independent Of laboratory, cru
chile and retort-an experiment, involving
nothing new or remarkable in the eye OF
one familiar with the principles OF chemi-
cal science, yet, important'in its practical
bearing. 1t was conducted as follows:
A barrel was filled with fresh scrapings
from the stalls of horses. Over the ma
nure, as thrown in, little ground plaster
was sprinkled from time to time. After
the barrel had been comPactly filled. it was
allowed 10 stand some weeks until 1t had
gone through the heating process, found al.
ways to take place when newly collected
manure is thrown into heaps. But during
this heating or fermentation, Gas itmay with
propriety be called, there was none OF that
''vapor" of strong odor which ordinarily a.
rises from fermenting manure heaps When
the mass had become cool, clean rain wa
ter was passed through it and collected at
the bottom Of the barrel. = This water was
found to contain one of the elements Of
plaster. and one of the volatile substance
carbonate of ammonia) above alluded to.
On emptying the barrel white powder,
looking very much like plaster was found
mingled with its contents. But, when test
cd, this powder was found to contain only
one of the elements of plaster; while ii
contained also one element OF the volatile
carbonate OF ammonia just mentioned.
In order that those who arc not familiar
with the principles of chemistry may un-
derstand the foregoing experiment and iul'
ly appreciate its results, little explanation
is necessary. -
The volatile matter which escapes so ra-
pidly from heaps Of manure, aud the pres
ence of which is perceived by its odor a,
bout stables where horses are fed, is called
by chemical writers carbonate OF ammo
MA" consisting OF carbonic acid and am
Inonia combined.
Plaster Gypsum is. according to chem
ical nomenclature, sulphate OF lime; lie.
sulphuric acid aud lime combined. Llebig
saws, carbonate of ammonia and sulphate
oflime Gypsum cannot be brought togeth,
er at common temperatures without mutual
decomposition. The ammonia enters into
combination with the sulphuric acid, and
the carbonic acid with the lime, forming
compounds which are not volatile; aud,
consequently, destitute ofall SMELL" Thus,
we get two new compounds; namely, car
donate of lime in very fine powder, and
sulphate Of ammonia, whichis not volatile,
and of course not liable 10 be lost in the
same way as-the carbonate OF ammonia.--
This sulphate, however, is readily dissolv-
ed in water. Hence, in the experiment a.
boye detailed, it was carried out in solution
by the water passed through the mixed
mass Of plaster and manure. @,is-
What points, now, are illustrated BY the
results Of this experiment? First that
ground plaster sprinkled about stables and
over fresh manure, as il is collected into
heaps, will arrest the escape OF most val
liable portion ofthe fertilizing matter. Be-
condly, that if this manure be left unshel-
tered from the rain, the sulphate OF ammo
MIA generated by the action OF the plaster
will be washed away; and, thus, the sui
m