The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-06-20
AGRICULTURAL.

Gypsum Plaster as. Manare.-A young farm
er ut Hastings Mich, asks us to tell him in
what way plaster benefits crops, its chemical
effects, etc. He must excuse us. 1t is one of
the most difficult questions in agricultural
chemistry. The general idea is that the plas-
ter attracts ammonia from the atmosphere.
facts of the case. Plaster has moro marked
effect on clover and peas than on any other
crop, and yet ammonia, when applied to these
crops, has far less effect than it has wheat,
while plaster often fails to benefit wheat. Be
Nsides, it is doubtful whether plaster, in dry
or moist state, has such an attraction for am
mohia is usually ascribed to it. In solution,
it wilNlecompose carbonate of ammonia, form
ing car6apate of lime and sulphate of ammo
MIA, but iINthe dry or merely moist state it
does not have this effect; or Mt least we have
never been abba to ascertain the fact, while it
is we'll known that when carbonate of lime
ard sulphate of aInponia are mixed together
Tin the moist state, e2rbonate of ammonia is
| given Oft. And, in fact we once mixed some
wet guano with ordinary plaster, and it drove
off some of the ammonia. This effect was due,
of course, to the carbonate of 6me in tho plas
ter; but it at any rate shows that plaster has
not q very powerful attraction for>earbonate of
ammonia, or it would not have escaped from
the mixture. But whether can orcannot
plain why plaster acts beneficially on\some
plants, the fact is well established. On nearly
all dry, upland soils, it generally causes inz
creased growth of clover, more especially of
the stalk. In our experience, too, it increases
t. ais" f9t 2fs ~ heast 1T tbs IYipes
especially of the stalks. And occasionally it
acts very benefcially on potatoes. On low or
wet land it is seldom of any use. But on dry
upland, it is sometimes useful all plants,
and nearly always on those we have named.
MIR, Geddes informs us that Onondago county
farmers frequently sow plaster on barley with
very good effect. Personally, have not
tried it on this crop, but propose to do
In regard to the time and manner of sowing,
| the practice is different in different sections.
On clover it is usually sown early in the
spring, although many farmers think it better
to wait until the plants are a few inches high,
contending that the effect of the plaster is on
the leaves, rather than on the roots. On corn
| and potatoes it is usual to scatter about q tea
spoonful on the plants in the hill before the
first hoeing But since the general introduce
ton of plaster sowing machines, the plaster is
\ sown broadcast on the fields, either before the
! corn is planted, after it is up. The quantity
sown varies from one bushel (sO lbs.} to three
or four bushels per acre. When corn is planted
three and half feet apart, teaspoonful on
each hill would give about 200 lbs per acre.
As TO whether plaster is more beneficial on
sandy than ON clayey Land, and Mhether It eyer
proves injurious, we never heard of its ever
doing any harm onG any soil, except that it
sometimes produces rust in wheat. On dry,
clay land, it is often as beneficial sandy
sOil--4mericGn Agriculturist.