Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1860-10-18
AGRICULTURAL.
ImpoFtanee 81 sd IN AgrlcuIture

7 LII bCFtance Oh Dill N agriculture,
If we should 5asIa why SO enormous a
quantity Of this inestnnable gift of salt
| is distributed throughoui the earth; why
/ lhree-fourths of the surface Of the plan
fef designed as the. home Of man is GOV.
cred with it; the. answer would be-in
order TO preserve the work Of nature. 10
enable man the more readily 10 sustain
himself, and TO make him wealihier and
better. Il has become an Indispensable
condition for the existence Of man and
his civilization. In an organic beings
we meet with two proeesses-that Of life
and thatof decomposition latter be-
ginning It's full activity after the former
has achieved It's end, atthe moment when
organic beings are dissolved into those
constituents from which the plant was
formed and nourished.
If, however, we intend to check, or at
least delay decomposition, we must en-
ploy acids, for we know that the Creator
formed the salt mighty barrier against
the immeasuTable mass of water becom-
ing putrid: we know that our stocks Of
flesh, grease, Sc. are preserved by the
application of salt; that cabbage-water,
acids in general, and kilcsen-salt are the
means used by the Agrlculturist again :
septic diseases in our domestic ANIMALS,
and against diseases of the mouth and
feet. The separation of milk and the de-
posit of meat will be increased by the ap-
plication of salt, thus forming an essen
tial means for the promotion of cattle
raising. By the application of salt, the
fruits, especially wine, will become much
better; and even the ancientS were in
the habit of throwing salt on their vine
yards, their grounds and their fruit trees.
Agricultural chemistry informs us that
the simplest combination through which
nouriShment is conveyed to plants consists
in acids, alkalies, and alkaline substan-
ces shows that free muriatic acid and
kitchen-salt form the principal constitu-
ents of the contents of the stomach.
In a French prize papers BY DR.. De-
saive, on the msnifold advantages OF the
use Of sall in Agriculture. the following
results have been laid down by the eele-
braied French veterinary surgeon, 0rog-
nieZ:
Common salt serves as preventive OF
the Fermentation and healing of hay that
has been heaped up in large stacks du-
ring wet weather. Forty quintals of hay
require fifteen pounds of salt, TO be strewn
among it in alternate layers.
The effect is much better shown in
straw, which, if intended to be used as
fodder, BY being moistened with salt wat
er, may be preserved for a long time,
when it may be given to cattle instead of
hav, method in use among the ancients
Leaves of trees, when. put in bitches
with salt, may be prevented a long time
from pntrefacuve fermentation. and will
even make good forage Intelligent far
merS Of the Mont d 'Orlyonais are in the
habit Of thus preserving their vine leaves
as fodder for goats. 4
Fodder of inferior quality. for instance
straw, orother Kinds, soaked and bleach
ed By rain and sun, cured oolate, or be-
come woody. may be rendered more pal
atable and easy Of digestion by being
-salIed. A pound Of salt in three quarts
of water Is required for qmntal OF bad
hay. .lys
The sharp taste which the milk Of cows
usually assumes in consequence of beets.
turnips, and white cabbage being contin-
ually fed to them, can be removed by
sailing those vegetables.
In Flanders, common salt is strewn on
new and wet cats, TO be fed to horses. and
thus prepared. will not be dangerous to
the animals. TIE same application may
also be made to hay newly harvested, to
prevent injuries when it may become ne
cessary 10 feed such hay, the moisture of
which has not been fully evaporated.
Though the bad qualities of dusty,
muddy, or mouldy fodder, after having
been washed and threshed, are not en-
tirely removed, yet by giving a sprinkl-
ing of salt and water, they will be di-
minished to a considerable degree. This
fact will be of advantage to the farmer
whenever he may be in want Of appro-