Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1871-12-23
I -

well meant, but think injudicous advice
addressed to farmers. | refer now chiefly
to the advice, so common for farmers to pre-
pare their own superphosphate, in place of
buying it. They direct the farmer to take IL
given amount of bone dust, and add so much
oil of vitriol and so much water, and per-
haps, also, some other substances to lex
tend it or to make it bulkier or dler. 70
show that this is njudlcious advice, it will suf-
flee to state II few facts. In the first place. the
farmer must buy his bone dust He cannot
make it. With considerable labor he may
break them up somewhat; but this will not
suffice for this purpose. They should be
made us fine us common sawdust and if
he goes to buy, and can find such us is pure,
he has to pay us much for ii Us if he bought
it already made into superphosphate; and he
will also be likely to learn that the adutcra-
tlon OF bone dust is quite as great as that of
superphosphate; clam shells. oyster shells,
and the turniDgs of vegetable ivory, and 9TH
er trash being not unfrequenty mixed with
it. Then he must buy his oil Of vitriol at re-
tail, and pay more for it than the man who
buys in large quantities, or who manuElc-
lures 1t for his own use. On the whole. he
VIII ind that, even counting out all imper-
fections in his product, arising from lack of
practical skill, or chemical knowledge, and
also any accidental loss or damage from
breaking carboys, or spilling IL powerfully
corrosive liquid upon his clothes or his per-
son, he is still working us really mt a disad-
vantage as if he attempted to do his own pa
per making by grinding rags to pulp, and
worklng this into sheets by hand labor, rs
was done years ago; or by inducing his wife
to spin and weave cotton for the sheets and
shirts of the family, instead of exchanging
his farm products for factory made goods
Sufficient evidence of this is found in the
fact that although farmers are sometimes
luIucpI tn tha "a M a,t c,,., Il i
very rare for any to repeat it II second time.
One dose OF this sort of experience, ESQ far
rs my observation has eXtcnded) suflices tor
cure in nineteen cases out of twenty
If authority be wanted, might quote from
n lecture delivered in Bath (England,) by
the well known Prof. Voelcker He said:
81 do not recommend the system of home
made superphosphates For some time we
made our own ut the Agricultural College
Farm ut Cirencester; but taking the quantity
OF soluble phosphate produced, we found we
could not make it SO cheap rs it could be
bought. There is II decided advantage in
buying superphOsphate. All that was re-
CURED was to take care that what they bought
was good sample. 1t is Il manure which
can be produced at IA cost varying from Is to
tl2 per ton. Chat is, from S25 to $50 per
ton, gold.) 1t was desirable, therefore, that
the farmer got the full value for his money"
Again, in the same lecture, DR.. Voclcker
says 81 lay particular stress on the term in
telligent manufacturer, because | believe it
to be II hazardous undertaking for the farmer
to prepare his own superphosphate, consider
able knowledge being required. together
with practical acquaintance with the method,
and proper appliances"
ARTIFICIAL MANUREs IMPROVING
Let me say here, that the trade in CONNER
cial manures seems to be passing through
the same phases which it underwent in Great
Britain II few years earlier. About 1855. DIR.
Voelcke made the following statement "IfI
ever there was time when the agriculturist
had need to exercise special caution in the
purchase Of artificial nanlres that time is
the present. for the practice of adulterating
standard fertilizers, such as superphosphats,
guano, &C., has reached i'm alarming extent.
1t is but right, however, to mention
that 1t Is filr from us to censure indiscrmi-
nately the whole class of manufacturers and
dealers; for we know many highly respect
able, fair dealing and skilled parties who
well deserve the support and encouragement
OF the agriculturist, and who are us anxious
as every right minded person to put stop to
the scandaloms proceedings now and then re-
vealed to u.s."
Recently, he says in his annual report rs
chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society.
The number of analyses made for members