Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-08-19
agricultural Department.
Experiments with Superphosphate of
Lime,

Ma. EDITOR Having made trial for
the first time, during the past season, of
DeBurg's Supherphosphate of Lime, ]
send you the results, hoping they may be
found useful to those engaged In agricI-
ture.
The first was $50 pounds sowed the 2i.t
of April ON so square rods of natural
moving The land was of good quality,
/ Ut much exhausted by long cropping, sit
,tated on side hill, with clay sub-soil.
by the lst of June the effects were visible
at considerable distanse, and many per-
sons visited the spot to observe the change
i, produced. In the middle of the lot my
hired man, when he sowed the phosphate
had marked out the initials of name, by
putting on a much greater quantity of the
fertilizer; those initials could be plainly
read, and the grass upon them was proba-
bly, three-fold greater than where only
the average quantity was sown. Tins
tact is important only as showing that the
increase of crop was In proportion to the
increased quantity applied The clover,
on the whole sixty rods, came UP much
thicker than the adjoining land, and at
haying time 1t produced 33 per cent more
than where the phosphate was moi applied.
But this was not the least part of the ex-
pertinent. for the second crop was still
more remarkable than the first. 1t was
fed down In the fall, and therefore could
not be accurately measured, but no one
who saw it doubted that there was an III
crease of at least 100 per cent. IN the sec
end crop. Nothing could be more graft
lying than the results of this experiment.
il showed most conclusively the wonderful
power of this fertilizer on grass land of
the description named. | feel ertirely
confident that the first crop of grass next
year on the same land will be much great
er than II was last season.
tried the same article on corn land
II was dry knoll of poor exhausted pas
rure land, plowed in the fall, aud In the
spring 20 loads of stable manure spread
and plowed In. The seed was the King
Philip corn. Where the phosphate was
applied in the hill at the rate of four hum
bred pounds to the acre, the crop was doub-
led exactly, over that where nothing was
put In the hill. The result on corn-fodder
though not SO striking, was very satisfac-
tory, the increase being about 30 per cent
tried the same on potatoes Those
called the Jenny Lind were increased about
% per cent. Other kinds nearly as much
BY my advice several of the farmers in
my neighborhood have made a trial of De
Burg's phosphate, and do not know a sin
gle case in which it was not highly sue
cessful and | am of opinion that there
will be five times as much used in this
town next season. All seem to be salts
fled that they have found fertilizer that
can be depended upon, that viii pay, and
pay well.
The advantages of the phosphate are
that 1t can be easily obtained conveniently
transported and readily applied. To ma
nure field at a considerable distance, or
on high hill with barn manure, it is a
formidable affair, requires strong team
and great deal of hard work. To apply
enough of the phosphate to produce equal
results IS very small matter. II enables
farmers to extend their planting beyond
the extent of their ordinary manures 1t
Is particularly convenient for small culti-
yators, who often have some land, but no
manure. To such the phosphate is the
very deslderatum. 1t is applied as easily
as ashes, and is So effective as to answer
every purpose.
Should the quality of the article be
kept up, feel quite sure it will be rapid
~ introduced into use. The only fears /
have arise from the apprehension that i,
/. may re adulterated, and thus rendered
less effective and satisfactory. l do not
know but the superphosphate prepared by
other manufacturers may be equally as
good, bU. DeBurg's is the kind which !
have used, and of that alone can | speak.
| hope that others will give their expe-
rience IN the use of 1t, whether favora BILE
or otherwise, SO that the farmers may
have as much light as possible on the
subject. AMAsA WALLER.
= \. E. Farmer.