Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-02-02
Salt as a Fertilizer.


Salt as a Fertilizer.
Very different opinions are entertained as
to the value Of salt, both as food for ami
mails and for plants. Without wasting time
upon theorists, it is well to understand that
these differences, among practical men, find
sufficient reason in difference of circum-
stances. In seacoast regions, neither plants
nor animals seem to require any artificial
supply of salt. Indeed, the farmers of the
coast laugh at the idea of sailing cattle and
sheep, and one Of them once introduced a
Vermonter to his friends as ga man from
away up by the Canada line, where they
have to salt their cows TO keep them from
spelling"
But in the interior Of continents, the in
dications of observation and experience
point in an entirely different direction.
There we find, among men and animals alike
a strong hankering for this mineral In
Central Africa it is one Of the most eagerly
sought for articles Of traffic, and is held as
precious luxury by the people. The "salt
licks Of Ohio, Kentucky and Missouri, in
our own country, testify, by the countless
skeletons, not only of existent, but of extinct
animals to the persistent and all-powerful
influence of their longing instinct for q sub
stance which both common observation and
science agree in recognizing as essential to
the health of all the higher classes of ami
mails.
As salt is furnished by nature along the
seacoast, in sufficient quantities TO prevent
the noticeable appearance of this taste
among domestic animals, so the coast farm
ers fail to perceive the value of salt as a fer
tilizer. Their lands receive from the spray,
the mists and the rains, all of this substance
which their crops require, and, consequently,
their experience is against the value Of salt
artificially applied as a manure.
But when we get back into the interior of
the country, we find that intelligent and oh.
serving farmers have discovered that dress
ing of salt is often productive of benefit to
their crops. How salt acts as a fertilizer, is
not probably understood in its fullest extent.
All our cultivated plants contain salt, and
all of our arabic soils also contain it. But,
like potash and phosphoric acid, salt can be
measnrably exhausted from many Of our in
land soils, and when this occurs, its applica-
ton as a fertilizer is at once perceived TO be
beneficial, But probably the value of salt
as direct food for growing plants, is not
the full measure Of its usefulness. Like
gypsum paster), it not only gives direct
nourishment TO the plant, but also exercises
chemical influence upon the soil, to develop
the solubility of other necessary substances,
such as potash and phosph oric acid, contained
in the land. Salt has been found to be par.
ticularly beneficial to cereal GRAIN crops,
class OF plants with comparatively feeble
feeding powers, in consequence of their mod
crate root development The previous grow
ing of strong rooted plants, like clover, and
their being plowed down as green manure
has been proved to be a most excellent prep
aration for a cereal crop, because the strong
aud deep roots Of the clover gathered nutri
ment from far below where grain roots can pen
citrate, and brought it up within their reach
Salt acts a somewhat similar partin preparing
nntriment for the cereals. When applied to
the soil, much of the salt is decomposed into
its component parts, hydrochloric (muriatic)
acid and soda. Both of these substances
have great solvent power, and by their com
binations doubtless effect important changes
in tho composition of the soil, favorable to
plant growth.
English farmers especially those in the
interior Of the island-spoak highly of salt
as fertilizer. Thus, Mr.. c. johnson has
found it to answer exceedingly well on a
light and gravelly soil in Essex. BY the use
OF five bushels per acre he has increased his
wheat crop over ten bushels. Many others
speak in similar terms as regards its value
TO the wheat crop In Vermont a similar
experience has been recorded. The late
Henry Reyes, of Newbury, formerly presi-
dent Of the State Agricultural Society, al.
ways applied four or five bushels of salt per
acre to his wheat, with great advantage, not
only in yield, but in the strength and bright
ness of the straw.
To quote further from English experience,
Mr.. Ransome, Of Suffolk, says that his bar
ley crop was increased from thirty TO fifty
one bushels per acre, by the application of
sixteen bushels Of salt.
The use Of salt for root crop has also been
highly recommended. Turnips contain about
two pounds, and mangolds over six pounds
Of salt to the ton of roots, which would lead
us to expect that on many soils salt would
be required by them in order to reach their
fullest development
Mr. Goodale, for many years the efficient
secretary of the Maine Board of Agriculture
performed series of experiments TO ascer
tam the effect of solutions Of salt Of differ
ent degrees of strength upon various plants
In these experiments he found that twenty
Tour grams Of salt to the pint Of water Zone
ounce to ten quarts) produced no injurious
effect upon cabbages, field beans, onions,
chickweed, thistles, radishes, or animal
meadow-grass (poa aanua), which were wa.
tered regularly with this solution for two
months. But plants of sweet scented yer
nal grass were killed by IT after the lapse Of
one month. This treatment seemed to ben.
eft most Of the plants experimental upon,
especially cabbages and radlshes All had
fresher and more luxuriant appearance than
those watsred with rain water only--the salt
seeming to act as fertilizer upon them.
A solution of double this stra,gtb mr.