Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-25

N ~ o II
II was stated week or two since that o
shin load of bones---human bones-the bones
Of the poor fellows who took part in the
memorable siege gof SebastopoL bones OF
Frenohmen, Bnglishmen, and Italians, nad
arrived at one Of our Eastern ports from tne
Crimea. The mind naturally reyoltg At the
idea of employing these sad relics Of brave
soldiers, or indeed of any human beings TOT
the purpose of agriculture, and yet the iact
that We are enabled 10 record the Importation
OF cargo Of bones, whether human OF AMI
NAL, should be hailed as an omen OF gooa
Hitherto the contrary has been the casei
ship load after ship load has left our snores
to fertalize the soils of England, while our
own soils and crops have been suffering. Has
this unpardonable drain Of SO large portion
of one of our most valuable fertilizing mate
rials been checked at last, and have we deter
mined that henceforth however charitably
we may be disposed) England shall not have
even a bone from us 2 Such were Joyful
tidings. But why make such an ado about
! a few bones ~ the anti-book farmer inquiries.
| Good friend, we have not space in the briei
article we purpose inditing to give you null
and satisfactory reply to your simple query.
We will give you afew hints, however--a few
| very brief ones--which you can think over
at your leisure; and If your objections to
reading reliable books on agricultural chemis-
try are not invincible (if your inquiry has
|
| at TRUTH, they may possibly prompt you 10
purchase, or borrow, or beg some good treat,
| ise on bones, and con it over and over and
| over again, until you are as familiar with II
as with the alphabet.
Bones, good sir, are everywhere lat leastin
all agricultural countries) recognized as an
economical and powerful manure. Ihey
may be applied to almost every kind OF crop,
but more particularly as dressing for grass
lands. and with decided benefit to turnip and
wheat crops. Bone manure is not perhaps,
as actively stimulating as some Others, butplt
| possesses the great advantage OF being ootn
certain and lasting. From four to eight years
is usually given to the period during which
they act with marked benefit; but we have
known instances in which their advantages
were apparent for more than twenty years
after their application. 49,.
Bones, when applied in small quantities
exercise a mechanical effect upon stiff soils
which is very beneficial. They render il
| lighter and more open, giving the atmos-
pbere a chance 10 penetrate it more readily
and impart its valuable fertilizing qualities te
it. Besides all this, they possess great ca
pacity for absorbing moisture from the at
mosphere and holding it for the use OF grow
ing plants.
There, friend, that will do for the present
: If you doubt the correctness OF what ha!
been stated, try little experiment and sat
sfy Yourself Gather up the bones which
have been lying around your premises from
time mmefnorial-unsightly objects--gathe
them up and be sure you do not forget tn
bones Of the two horses and one cow, whicl
| lie bleaching in the little wood at the lowe
|! end of your farm; you know precisely wher
they are, for you dragged the dead animal
there. .as f. .....i. g. ii., e-.ts. ~
; Perhaps YOU will remember it better If 20,
are reminded Of the extraordinary number @
crows which fed upon the carcasses first, an
, upon your corn afterward. But no matter
gather up all the bones you can find, an
: manage to crush them, or have them crushed
Apply some of them to your paSture-land, .
7 the rate of thirty bushels to the acre. Di
around that sickly-looking grapevine !
e front of your house. and bury half busht
& Of the homes foot or so beneath the surface
It or 80 that the roots of the vine will fin
! them. When you put in your turnip GRO
i mark off small portion of it, and appl
bones there. IT, after you have done thi
you have any left, put them on to. a sma
: corner Of your wheat ground, and when you
l. CROPS mature, compare the parts to which th
: gathered bones have been applied with thot
VI 70 which none have been given; note cart
s fully whether your grapevine has improve
n in vigor and productiveness, and let us hay
d the results If they are favorable, we wi
!, then endeavor to point out method OF pr
d pairing bones for use, which will render the
5 more readily available by the crops TO whit
'. you apply them, and will save you the lab'
ot of crushing them.-E e., in Philddelph
q, FlTmer and Gardener.