Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-04-14
farm aud stoaseltold.
Boiled Bones as a Manure.

There is an opinion entertained by
many persons that bones which have
gone through the process of boiling,
as is the case with soap-makers opera
tions, lose some of their valuable pro-
perties; but this is not the case, for the
reason assigned by Professor Dana, who
gives the following view nf the subject:
He says: The idea that bones, as boiled
by the soap boiler, lose a large portion
of their animal matter, is erroneous.
Boiling, except under higher pressure,
extracts very little of the gelatine, and
not all the fat and marrow; heads and
shouider-blades, and the smaller bones,
still contain, after boiling, 81 per cent,
of fat and talIow. If the phosphate oil
lime of such bones is dissolved out by
aci d, the animal portion remains with
all the form and bulk of the bone. Bont 6
which are offered in the market are
quite as rich in theelements above stated
as are unboiled bones. The phosphate
of lime is rendered quite soluble by its
combination with gelatine and albu-
men,"
Bones should not be plowtd in, but
when mixed with sulphuric acid, or by
the process of fermentation, heretofore
alluded to, as recommended by English
u
applied to the field, and narrowed in.
If bones are mixed with ashes, two
bushels of the former and ten of the
latter, for an acre, this will be found an
efficient dose, In the spring is the best
time to apply bones, as it requires the
heat OF The sun to draw forth their
virtues, Unlike Peruvian guane. which,
when applied in the fall, is continually
tfinp off its np1n1nnia yybiISt hnnaC
hold on TO the ammonia contained in
them through the winter, ready to give
up their values on the approach of hot
weather. They, like lime, however,
may be applied advantageously at any
time, and perhaps on nothing more
beneficially than on meadows and pas
lures. The milk and cheese which are
sold and carried away contain considera-
BILE phosphates in their ash, and these
are restored to the land by bone dust.
Professor Johnston estimates that a COW
giving twenty quarts of milk per day
takes from the soil two pounds of phos.
phate of lime or bone dust in each week
thus requiring three or four pounds OF
bones TO make good this loss.-[ Balti-
more American.
Value of Hen Manure.
The best method of using an article
so strong in ammonia as this is by aid
of compOStS.
A Maryland farmer recently tried
two experiments. The first was an ap:
plicatiOn of certain amount of oaizt
hen manure to 600 hills of corn. THE
second experiment Was to compost an
equal quantity with as much more OF
muck. The compost was applied tc
| 8 900 hills of corn.
The produce of the latter was twice
as good in proportion to the former, and
80 per cent, better than from Peruvian
guano. ... u
A farmer who will study diligently
| this simple matter of com posting his
manures with naucE will find gain t6
him every year of nearly double hi:
manure piles.
Frequent experiments demonstrate
the fact SO plainly that load of barn
yard manure, mixed and fermenteC
with an equal quantity of muck, lose.
none of its value for fertilizing purposes
but produces double its quantity, equa
in every respect. r