The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-25
Aonrcu1ruaAI coLLEor, May %.


Correspondence Of The True Northerner.
Land plaster, gypsum, or as the chemist
calls 1t, sulphate OF lime has been more or less
extensively used in Europe as manure for
land ever since 1850, when Pastor Meyer,
German, first called attention to its effect upon
different crops.
1t was first introduced into this country by
Benz. Franklin. who brought il from Paris
hence its common name, Plaster of PARIS"
When first used, different investigators as
cribed its good results to different causes,
some saying that 1t furnished suipher to the
growing plant and others, that 1t fixed the
ammonia Of the atmosphere.
1t has been found. that while plaster helps
soil that is dry, porous, gravelly, or sandy, It
does much less good on stiff clay land. especial
" II they are wet or water soaked. Its an
fiuence is more noticeable in dry season
than in a wet one, and amounts to little or
nothing on soil destitute OF vegetable matter,
unless manure is applied with it. The use OF
plaster by itself tends to dissipate the vegetable
matter in the soil, hence, if manure is not re-
placed in some way. the use OF this substance
may have the effect to exhaust the soil. The
most marked influence Of plaster on plants is .
large increase in the formation OF leaf and
stalk, as distinguished from the formation OF
seed. It gives at the same time dark green
color to the leaves Of the plant. The plants
which are especially benefited by plaster are
usually those Of a very rapid growth, i. g.
plants which naturally complete their growth in
q comparatively short period Of time. The
farmer, seeing the large leaves and dark color
p reduced by the plaster. is often led to believe
that he has had an increased crop by its use.
VIII en-, in reality, the increase is in straw only
and not in grain. or those who have expert
mented carefully, nearly all agree in saying
that the leguminous crops, as clover, peas,
and beans, are greatly benefited by the appli-
catisn of plaster while oats, wheat, barley,
rye, ETC., are not improved as regards grain.
some claiming that the yield OF grain is in
creased, others that 1t is not. ! wish the
farmers who read the NoRrHERNER would try
this year to decide this question. After the
corn has commenced to grow, let each one
treat several rows with plaster, then in the
fall. see whether the yield OF corn is greater
by weight than in the upholstered rows. J..J.
woodman reports that this experiment has
been tried in Van Buren, County, once; but
try 1t again carefully and report the result Of
each experiment to US here at the college.
Plaster helps crops because it has two sub
stances which are necessary for plant growth,
viz: sulpher and lime. II has been found
also that it has . disintegrating influence on
the compound silicater in the soil, setting free
potash and msgnesia for the use OF the plant
Kedzie is Of the opinion that one Of the most
important properties OF plaster Is it's power OF
making active the inert nitrogen Of the vegeta-
BILE matter OF soils. This opinion il based
upon careful and repeated experiments per-
formed by himself at this place. Plaster
should be applied IN the spring, after plants
start to grow. 1t is much better to SOW 1t
when the plants are wet, in the morning or
after shower. The amount used need not
exceed one hundred pounds 10 the acre. This
excess is apt 10 be washed from the soil. Hence
it is better to SOW it every year and In small
quantities. The chemical composition OF
plaster is such as to make it a very fixed sub
stance; 80 it will not be in any way injured by
age.
Farmers often cay that plaster don't help
their land as much as it used to. This may be
because they have sown 1t in excess and 1t has
accumulated in the soil. G.E. B.