The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-20
AGRICULTURAL NOTES.
SALT AS A FERTILIZER,


There has never been an established value OF
salt rs fertilizer given to the public, and the
question is salt n fertilizer in any degr e2" re-
mains unanswered If we refer to oil that has
been said about it's use by farmers. in the agri
cultural press during the las twenty five years
we shall find large number who claim that
they nave used 1t to advantage. while as many
more say that they could see no benefit from ts
use.
The facts are az follows, however, In the vi
entity of the gulf where the dews are somewhat
impregnated with salt 1t is of no value as fer
tilizer, but in the interior it is of some benefit to
nearly all crops. 1t may be used to a good adj
dressing for grass lands and also on lands to
be plowed in the spring. as the virtues of both
salt and ashes during the, winter become dis
seminated through the surface OF the soil. II
applied in the spring to land that Ia to be plowed
for any crop 1t should be spread by hand upon
the surface after blowing. and narrowed in.
PRESERVING COLOR OF PLANTS.
In order to preserve the natural colors of
dried plants. the following process will vi cid
excellent results: Dissolve one part Of salfcylc
acid In six hundred parts of alcohol. and heat
dish. Draw the plant slowly through the
liquid wave gently in the air to got rid Of su
petfiuous moisture. and dry between folds Of
blotting paper. several times repeated. In this
manner the plants dry rapidly, which Is great
gain over former processes, and they thus fur
nlsh specimens of superior beauty.
The addition of II drachm of red Condy's fluid
to the water contained In flower vase will pre-
serve the freshness Of cut specimens. in the
phkl ti lOI llsIiUCb, ing IIlEee OF IDuE uHTS
HOW LONG TO MILK A COW.
There seems to be a prevalent Idea that 1t is
not prof able to milk a COW more than eight Or
nine months. and most dairymen dry off their
cows early and let them GO dry three or four
months. This is far from being the good and,
much less. the best practice. A COW being kept
for milk should be bred for holding out her
milk as long as she can with due regard for
health. 1t has been proved in the case of thou
sands of cows that have lived to good old age
that they can be bred to give milk ten months
in the year. bear good strong. healthy calf
and be ready for rs good milking season the
next year. We should seek such cows and dis
card those that persist in drying early. even IL
they do give good mess for short season.
ESTIMATING CEREALS.
By means of a very ingenious method dis
covered by Messrs. Hayes and Jackson Of Bos-
ton. Mass, the valuation of the constituents of
our cereals can be made with accuracy by the
following process: If kernel of corn be split
lengthwse and immersed In an aqueous sou-
ton Of sulphate of copper. the germ or chit
only becomes colored green. thereby beauti-
fully defining the limits OF the phosphates by
the formation of phosphate of copper. The
same process may be applied to all seeds lex.
eept those of an oily nature), tubers. roots and
stems of vegetables for defining the parts con-
tanning phosphoric acid.
JUTE CULTURE AND MANUFACTURE.
While our soil is eminently adapted to the
culture of Jnte, and our demand for an enor-
nous supply of bagging would justify an i'm
mense outlay Of capital in the production and
manufacture OF this article. 1t is proper. though