The Osceola times., 1878-03-30
sourHERS ROME AND Farm.
Plaster and clover.

Plaster and clover.
II the cultivation of clover is one Of
the foundation principles of successful
American agriculture, plaster (gyp'um)
(. 4. near neighhcg. Western farmers,
the reading and thinking class, duly sp'
preciate the importance of the first prop
osition, and are year by year coming TO
appreciate the value of gypsum as an aid
In fostering not only the growth OF clover
but also the true grasses OF which are
included in all our cereal grains
That the feeling acknowledging the
uecewity of using some special applica-
tion to grass and other crops to stimulate
growth |. becoming general, is shown by
numbers of letters from farmers within
the last year, asking for more specific in
formation relating MOI only to gypsum,
but to many others OF what is known rs
special fertilizers. These we have an
swered from time to time a.
they were received. For the res-
son that land-plsster is quite
common in Michigan and some
other portions OF the west, and compare.
lively cheap, and since we believe that
railroads may he induced to make low
rates for transportation because 1t would
be carried in an opposite direction from
their heavy traffic, and would, as does
the carriage Of all fertilizing substances,
come back TO them in enhanced freights
from increased production. we give
something of the future Of gypsum and
its effects. In the use Of this, hswever,
a in the case OF all special fertilizers,
each farmer should experiment for him.
self and carefully note results.
Dana, In his Muck Manual" article
ISL, says:
"Suppose plaster or gypsum hs,
been applied; bushel Of plaster
per aero, on even the iour-hundreth
part of one per cent. of the soil,
produces effects on the alluvial land,
which shows its good results AZ tar ~
the eye can reach. II seems almost in.
credible that 10 minute a portion OF a
mineral can act al all, yet how beauti'
fully is this result explained by the
principle that plants decompose, 6rst
This salt; the lime for plaster is a sui.
phate Of lime, then acts on geine, which
Is thus rendered soluble, while the acid
the oil of vitriol or sulphuric acid, imme
diately acts on sillicates. II sillicate oI
alkali exists In the soil, we have nc
changed sulphate of lime for an alkaline
sulphate, and II siilicate of time is also
present, the potash or alkali having
been exhausted, plaster OF Paris |,
formed anew. So long a. there is in the
soil organic matter this action continues
and will continue till the plant has grad
ually withdrawn for its own use the acid
OF the salt which was introduced
That is an important integer in the
economy of plant life, we may refer to
Johnson's "How Crops Grow" which
says:
"SULPHATE OF LIME.-The burned
plaster Of Paris Of commerce is this salt
In more or less pure state. 1t Ia readily
formed by pouring diluted sulphuric
acid on lime or marble. 1t is found In
the ash Of most plants, especially in that
OF clover, the bean and other legumes.
In nature, sulphate of lime is usually
combined with two molecules OF water,
and thus constitutes gypsum, which
in a rock Of frequent and extensive
occurrence. In the cells OF many
plants, "a for instance the bean
gypsum may be discovered by the micro.
scope in the shape OF minute crystals. /,
requires four hundred times its weight o
water TO dissolve it, and, being almos,
universally distributed in soil, is rarely
absent from the water OF wells anc
springs."
These extracts will suffice 10 show
something Of the value OF plaster, snc
now 1t acts upon the constituents Of tn,
soil. 1t is also one of the most valuabl,
substances known, for the stable or wher
ever it may be needed to fix nitrogen in it
FERNS a. found thera Prairie Farmer