Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-25
Sulphate OF Ammonia.

when we were at the meeting OF the Dali
rymen's Association, held at Montpelier last
Winter, we incidentally alluded to our use of
sulphate of ammonia with bone as fertil-
izer, and a good many questions were put
out TO us by farmers in attendance about the
way we used it, where it was to be had, the
price, etc. We have since been asked to give
the particulars in these columns.
Sulphate of ammonia is by-product I"
Of several manufactures, especially those of
Illuminating gas and bone charcoal. In its
pure form it looks very much like salt and
has no smell; but as most commonly sold it
is of light greenish grey, and has "vit-
riol smell. 1t differs very much in the
amount Of moisture it contains, some being
as dry as good dairy salt, and some so damp
that the moisture soaks through the bag
crystalizes on the outside, and if left long
in place will spread over the floor for
yard around. We have had both kinds
from the same firm (Bowker Fertilizer Co.,
Of Boston,) at the same price, but we much
prefer the first, even if we paid a cent a
pound more The price is usually four and
one-half to FIVE cents pound. The kind
that seems so wet, however, does not hold
so much water as it appears to, for we dried
some of it in the sun with shrinkage of
only half an ounce to the pound. But it is
very inconvenient to handle, inasmuch as it
adheres together in Jumps, which, when pull
verified and sifted, will cake together again
in twenty-four hours as hard as ever. The
dampness also causes it to affect the skin Of
the hands in using, and if much was APP
piled by hand would make them quite sore.
The dry, white sulphate remains fine, and
can be handled without annoyance.
A good article of sulphate of ammonia
will contain twenty-five per cent. of ammo
MIA and sixty per cent. of sulphuric acid,
the rest being impurities, moisture, etc.
Both are valuable as fertilizers, the ammo
mia directly, and the acid directly and also
by its action in releasing potash and phos-
phorus from their insoluble combinations in
the soil. On good land in good condition
sulphate of ammonia alone, at the rate Of
three hundred pounds to the acre, will usu-
ally insure full crop of any cereal grain,
or of potatoes. But in order to keep up a
uniform supply of all the elements of plant
food in the soil, it is better to use half or
two-thirds of that quantity, and expend the
amount Of the reduction in potassic and
phosphoric fertilizers Thus we get the
best results from using on corn and potatoes
one hundred and fifty pounds of sulphate
and forty bushels OF pure unleached wood
ashes TO the acre. For wheat or oats, two
hundred pounds of sulphate, two hundred
pounds fine ground bone, and fifteen bush
els of ashes. The ammonia is probably
nearly all exhausted by the first CROP but
the action of the sulphuric acid and of the
bone and ashes extends over a number Of
years. The cost of the above dressing il
about fourteen dollars for the corn and pc
tatoes, and sixteen dollars for the wheat
1t certainly gives better results the first
year than twice the money spent in stable
manure at one dollar and fifty cents tn,
two-horse load. A good crop of clover ant
orchard-grass will follow the wheat, which
will be benefited by a busting of plaster il
the Spring. We prefer this kind Of fertil
izing to the use of any phosphates, guanos
or formula fertilizers with which we are &C
quainted, and we have tried most Of them.