The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-04-14
American Institute Farmers
Club e
Reported specially for the IntellGencer.
New YoRK. April IL, 1859.

CudLl OeIS, SeCE6larYs
TIE COMPOSITION AND VALUE OF MUCK.
James a. Whitney, the Chemist, had
analysed several specimens of muck
from various parts of the country
some from Berlin Heights, Ohio, and a
box fnll OF it from John II. Stevenson,
near Raleigh, N. G. He says two sam
pies OF peat from Berlin Heights, ERE
county, Ohio, have been referred 10
me, and have determined the ProPT1 TOT
ton in each, moisture and all IN
organic matter. One specimen was
taken from depth two feet. The Tor
mer was of II brown pisces OF broken
wood and fine root. The other was OF
much darker color, fir1ner III conPosls
lion and contained Jumps OF docayed
material which fell TO pieces under
light blows of the pestIer.
The first sample shown from near the
surface contained IA per cent, of mois.
ture, SIL per cent. OF organic matter
and only per cent. OF mineral mat
ter.
The sample taken from depth of "a
inches gave per cent. of moisture, "
per cent. of organic matter, and OF
mineral matter 2lN per cent. or about
three times as much AS the first.
The sample taken from the greater
depth was much more decompOsed than
the other, and is evidently without
the access of air. This had not only
caused the relative proportion of min
eral matter, potash, silica, &C., to be
much in excess of the other, as above
indicated, but had produced change in
the structure and condition OF the or
ganic matter which would hasten its
decay buried in the soil. This would
cause the evolution OF carbonic acid TO
be more rapid which would not only
supply, in part, the plants with carbon,
but held in solution in water would as
sist the disinte9ration and dslsOlving
the mineral particles in the SOIL More~
over this condition of organic matter
would greatly increase the power OF
absorbing and retaining ammonia. The
peat therefore taken from the greater
depth, would be much better for manu-
rial purposes than the surface peat.
Neither should be used without the adj
mixture with other materials. That
from the top of the ground could be
used TO the best advantage simply as
an absorbent of liquid manure. Ihat
from the greater depth, alter exposure
for, Il few weeks to the action OF the air
and frost, would be valuable either
composted with burn-yard manure, or
with guano, the refuse of the hen rooSt
or other ammonated fertiliZing sub.
stance.
From the large proportion OF organic
or vegetable matter contained in both
samples there can be no doubt that If
compressed into blocks with suitable
machinery this peat would furnish
fuel valuable when other fuel was
scarce although the disagreeable OdOr
given Oft while burning would be some
thing of an objection to its use. From
indications shown by the material when
treated in the crucible, the writer is left
TO infer that the peat taken from the
greater depth could be made available
in the manufacture OF illuminating gas
and where deposits Of this kind exist
near towns and villages, il would be
we'll for those whom it may concern to
mako experiments tending to such re-
suits on practical scale.
He had considered the two specimens
thus at length not so much for their in
trinSiC importance but because they
NAV be taken as average samples of the
peat found in very large number OF
deposits in different parts of the North
ern aud Weslern States, and the re-
marks that apply to the peat from Erie
county, Ohio, may interest the owners
of peat beds mother sections. Ho adds
that the specimen just received from
near Raleigh, N. O., is just like that
now analysed and described. Wecan-
not too strongly impress upon farmers
tho great advantage OF composing
muck with any rank manure. Use night
soil, hog manure, hen manure, fish
guano, and the mutual actiOnOf one
greatly superior TO muck alone. The
organic matter in muck is very similar
to the vegetable matter that makes up
the bulk of stable manure, and the nd-
diiiOn of a. little rank matter contain
ing ammonia will change n load of
muck TO manure, as valuable as that
which commonly comes from yards.
ALsIKE CLOVER.
In reply to a question of Mr.. William
Jackson, WestmOreland, Oneida cOun-
ty, N. Y, as 10 thu merits of his new
grass,
Mr.. S. Il. Todd said that it makes
better hay and is less liable to winter
kill, ripens from ten to fourteen days
earlier. For blowing under it Is pro-
badly not so good as the large red
clover.
HOME TRADE sUPERPHOsATE.
John Crawford, OF Harlem, N. Y,
asked the opinion of tho Club as to
bones being an active fertilizer for
growing vegetables. o..
Mr.. Todd said any man could make
his own bone manure by the use OF
sulphuric acid, and cheap mill to
grind the bones.
T. G. Peters disputed this; his advice
would be TO sell the bones and buy su-
perphosate.
j. b. Lyman said he had a full ex-
l.
sor Horsford, who had been a pupil of
Liebig, and had few if any equals
in this country in chemistry as ap-
piled TO the domestic useful arts.
He advises the farmer 10 make his |
own superphosphate, and gives the fol- |
lowing minute directions /: Get your |
bones together and break up all the |
biggest OF them with an axe or heavy
sled2e. Raw bones are much the best |
as they contain ammonia in the gela-
tine. When by boiling in lye, or by |
long bleaching, or by burning the or
ganic matter has been wholly or in |
part expelled, the bone is still valua-
BILE for its phosphate of lime. But
new or fresh bone, properly treated, |
Will yield phosphate OF ammonia-the |
most active and valuable of all ma
nures. Let the farmer dig n shallow |
pit, shaped like bread bowl, andiu |
the soil is clay, he can make it tight |
enough by ramming and treading.-
But II his soil Is sandy, he should line |
the pit with wagon load of clay. Pile |
the bones in the pit, and wet them |
thoroughly with diluted sulphuric acid. |
SuIphurlc acid or Oil OF vitriOl will not
operate on bones unless water is added
He should buy one-fOurth the weight
of his bones in sulphnric acid If he
has 400 lbs. weight of bones, he should
get 100 lbs. oil of Vitriol-it costs about
three cents pound. In diluting the
acid more or less water may be used,
according as the bones are bleached or
OF large size, but as II rule, liable to eX-
cepIions that will occur to the intelli-
gent farmer, five pints, that is, Eve
pounds OF water shou Id be added to
one pound Ofthe oil of vitriOl. In few
Gays the bones thus treated, will be |
found greatly softeued, so as 10 crush
under The stroke of spade. The super
phosphate should be mixed with some
other fertilizer, as dry muck, and ap.