Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-14
st. JOhnsbury, vt, February IA, 1879
oxALIc ACID AS A SOLVENT.

OxAllC ACID AS A SOLVENT.
We see by the Department of Agricul-
lures report for November and December,
that European chemist, NJ. Grandeur,
has recently been engaged in important re.
searches upon the chemical composition and
physical properties Of certain Russian soils,
in which he has thrown much light upon the
part which oxalic acid and carbonate Of
ammonia play in rendering soluble the min
eral elements Of plant food. The old read.
ers of the FARMER will remember the discus
sion. some year or more since, which we held
upon this subject with this Boston Journal of
Chemistry, in which that paper rather loftily
pooh.poohed our views in relation to the mat.
ter. But we find continually more and more
confirmation for the ground we then took, in
the investigations of the best chemists Of Eu-
rope and America These investigations
have placed it beyond doubt that the or
ganic acids, and particularly oxalic acid,
play very important part in reducing the
mineral elements Of plant food to a soluble
condition. In regard to this matter NJ.
Grandeur says
What are the reactions under whose influ
ence the organic matters combined with the
earthly basis IN the soil in nature are placed
mt the disposition of the roots OF vegetablesp
The following facts seem to me to offer n
satisfactory response to these questions. |
have ascertained that the Intervention of u
strong acid, such us chlorhydric, is unneces-
sary dilute solution of OXalic acid will set
Tree, in the soil of Russia, the matter soluble
in ammonia. When the black soil is treated
with oxalic acid, then with water, and finally
with ammonia, VIC obtain n brown solution
containing phosphoric acid, iron, lime, mag
nesia, and silica, as with chorhydric acid.
The oXalic acid. which usually appropriatcs
the calcareous elements of the soil, is una
bile to precpitate the lime engaged in this or
game combination.
After having endeavorcd without any de-
cided success, to substitute free carbonic ac-
i'll gas for oXalic acid, have completely sue
ceeded with carbonic acid, combined with nm
alkaline base, especially with carbonate OF
ammonia; "a dilute solution of this salt pass
ing slowly through layer of black soil plays
successfully the part of an acid and that of q
base. vis-l-vis upon the black matter in
question; ut the beginning of the experiment
the carbonate is decompOsed, its carbonic &C.
id combines with the lime, which renders
the black matter of the soil insoluble; tho
substance liberated from the lime, and tn,
soil is decoloriZed; the deep-brown solution
evapoIated to dryness gives red residue
(phosphoric acid, iron, lime. magnesa, anC
slica) exactly analogous to that which
have described above.
1t follows from all the facts recorded in my
memoir, LIST. That fertile soils contain the
nutritive elements under the form offered 10
farm manure. I'd. That the fertility of {
soil is intimately connected with the richness
in the mineral elements and organic matter
soluble in the ammonia which it contains
Sd. That The organic substances are IN ma
tire The rehtcle Of mineral pldnt-foOd, tChtcl
they extract from the sOtl in order to presen
them under form Immediately asSimila
bile by the roots of vegetables.
In view of this state of the facts, i
might not be bad idea to experiment upoI
the fertilizing power Of sorrel on otherwise
barren and useless pieces of land. If b!
some slight manuring a strong growth o
sorrel could be produced, and this powed il
again and again, it is possible that tn
great amount of oxalic acid thus brought in
to contact with the soil would perceptibl,
increase its fertility, and allow of a success
full seeding with rye, clover, or some othe
green manuring plant of a higher grade. Som
might object to cultivating what is 50 com
monty regarded as a vile and troublesom,
weed, but there is no law against maxim,
even weeds useful. The only point, there
fore, is whether sorrel can be made useful il
this way, and there is no means Of settling
the matter except by careful trial. As T.
its eradication, as the land becomes anchor
ated, We do not regard sorrel as a very diff
cult plant to exterminate. But we hav
never succeeded in killing it with either ash
es or lime, substances that are continual
being recommended for the purpose by thee
retlcal writer's, who think the growth of soI
rel indicates what they call " sour soil.
All observation shows that the favorit
ground for sorrel is exactly the opposite {
what is commonly called sour land and W
have repeatedly demonstrated by expsrimer
that ashes instead of killing sorrel, is poS
erfu manure for it, When it is understood
that the substance which imparts to sorrel il
sour taste is a compound Of oxalic acid an
potash, (oxalate of potash,) it will be easil
seen that substance containing potas
would naturally promote rather than hinde
its growth.