Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-10
hone Manure.

Bone manure is unive rsally considered in England
one of the best kind that be applied to the land
whether for corn grass root crops, and Its exteu-
siye and increasing use in that country is proof
OF the estimation in which it is held. Not only
the bones of the animals slaughtered in that coun-
try employed as manure but nearly so 900 tons per
annum are imported from foreign countries, chiefly
for the same purpose, and yet the supply is by no
means equal to the demand. Had not the importa-
ton of guanO commenced about the year 1910, it is
probable that bones would risen to $40 or clipper
ton.
That bones must be beneficial as manure" says
Mr.. Nesbi., in his pamphlet Agricultural Chem
istry, "will appear from very simple consdera-
tion Animals are fed upon vegetables and the
whole of their bodily structure grows out OF the
food or is eliminated and formed from it. If the
food did not contain phosphate of lime, the bony
structure of the body could not be built up. If the
soil in which vegetables grow did not contain phos-
phate Of lime the seeds of vegetables could not be
mstured Surprising the arabic land OF tins country
70 have been robbed for thousand years OF phos-
nbate of lime and never 10 have received any back
again; assuming this ingredient to have been con-
tinually exported in the shape OF OF mix, cheese,
sheen and exen il is clear that unless the land had
an unlimited amount of phosphate, which we know
is not the case. there must have been proportion
ate d mnution in the quantity OF sueh materials,
Hence il is that when certain substances whlch had
been taken out for a long period nave Deeh again
suddenly applied, land worth hardly 5s. per acre mas
sprang up the value CT los and there mas Oeen an
enormous increase of crops"
One of the most valuable qualities of bone is the
eowness with which they decompose, and the length
of time during which they continue to give out the
phosphates. The London TURNER'S Magazine says
Itis found upon the analysis that one pound of
homes contains much phosphoric acid as Is pounds
of wheat or of $50 pounds of potatoes. NOW, a
cop of wheat CT four quarters per acre, and reck-
ouing 6Olbs per pushed, weighs, in round numbers,
D GOelbs which contains only much phosphate as
Is fsnnd in 7Ibs OflbOnes 1t is clear therefore that
If tbe bones are put on at the rate OF - ewt per
acre sspposing them TO decompose rapidly ana give
ont The l,osphate in proportion, large proportion
zro,I5 10 wasted But that this is not the case as
tbe foIloyvin1 circumstances pro A gentleman,
.Ebo occrrieS q large farm in Norfolk, finding, To-
Srards the CLOSE of his wheatgrowing, that he was
likely 10 have a conaiderabe.quanuty OF oOhe uust'
left he continued distributing 1t at me fa'e
directed his foreman to increase the ~, ~. ~
ng 70 the field the following day he found that tne
man had doubled the allowance, ana that instead OF
having any to spare, he would not: at that rate,
have enough 10 finish manuriug the remaining
seeding land He therefore oold MIN u 90
back to the usual quantity oil soout IN
per acre, at which rate the field was hnlsneu. :, 1e
crop of wheat proved very heavy one As wen as
the succeeding crop of turnps, on thai part OF the
land which was douby dosed with pone-dust. NOV
mark what follows. Eeuen years after, the farmer
~ riding with friend over his land, came 10 tnis
6eId, which was again, for the third time aier the
above occurrence, under wheat. On entering IT, ne
requested his friend if he should, In riding Gown
the furS0w find any difference in the growth OF the
SEheat 80 point It out After riding few yards INTO
the wheat he suddenly stopped. what IN all the
world have you been after here" he exclaimed
This whest Is SIX inches higher, and as stout again