Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-06-08

4. Calcined plaster, three bushels.
5. Nitrate of soda, forty pounds.
6. Sulphate of ammonia, thirty-three lbs.
7. Sulphatc of soda, forty pounds.
Mix numbers one, two and three together
then mix numbers five. six and seven in five
buckets of water. When dissolved, add the
liquid to the first second and third articles.
When mixed, add fourth article.
We print the above extract from the Bos-
ton Journal Of CHEMISTRY because we wish
to protest against an idea there expressed
that is calculated to do more to prejudice
practical farmers against chemical fertilizers
than almost anything else. What we refer
to is the assertion that this compost or any
equivalent to it is sufficient for one or two
acres. What are its real fertilizing constitu-
ents, and what is the actual quantity of each
contained in it?
|. Three bushels unlcached ashes. "
This, if of the best quality, may contain
twelve or fourteen per cent. of potash say
twenty pounds. A fair crop of wheat takes
from the soil of an acre 81 pounds, corn 70
pounds, potatoes (tubers) 80 pounds of pot
ash. Is then an application of twenty pounds
sufficient for two acres?
?. Fine Bone-dust, three bushels" This
is more liberal. and if made soluble by the
addition of sulphuric acid, or even by the
action of strong wet ashes, would be fair
dressing for one acre, though there would be
more than double the profit in using double
the quantity, or four times rs much for two
acres.
g. "Calcined Plaster, three bushels" This
is the first time we remember to have seen
calcined plaster (Which is plaster deprived
of its water and used for making casts, stuc-
co, hard finish, &c., recommended rs a
fertilizer. The quantity ordered is enough
to set the whole into solid mass when the
water is added, if the peat were, left out
But perhaps this is only II slip of the pen, and
ground plaster is what is intended. If So
the quantity is about right for ore acre.
g. Nitrate of soda, forty pounds, sui
phate of ammonia thirty-three pounds" To
supply the nitrogen for one acre of grain this
would be II very light dressing; much toe
light for the best results.
A. "Sulphate of soda, forty pounds" We
suspect another error here, and that sulphate
of magnesia Epson SALTY instead of sulphate
of soda, (Glauber's SALT is intended We
know of no benefit likely to accrue to any
crop from the latter; but we have used the
EPSON salt in composts, we think with ben
eft, and its use to supply magnesia in II sol
uble form to crops is theoretically right in
soils where magnesia is deficient. Such soils
we believe, are not uncommon. If this is
meant, 40 pounds would be none too much
for in acre
We say nothing of the twenty bushels OF
dried peat. The Journal Of Chemistry has
repeatedly set the value of peat or muck, SC
low us a fertilizer us to make 1t hardly worth
drawing. and certainly very little good could
be expected from II dressing of twenty bush
els applied to two acres. On the whole we
think the journal is level headed in express
ing doubt us to the responsibility of Baron
Liebig for this compost.
We want our readers to understand, and il
will be for their profit to bear pretty con-
stantly in mind the fact, that there is no COM
mercial fertilizer, and no compost that can be
made with any chemical substances, that is
cheaper than stable manure. None of them
would think of getting crop from any land
of average fertility here in New England by