The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-03-01
Charcoal as 4 Basis for Manure.

The absorptive power of charcoal is
wei known inthe ats. Its capacity in
ms direction is most remarkable. Ac-
curate experiment has pro, en- that in
twenty.tOur hours it would absorb nine
ty times lis own volume OF ammonia
Gle gas, eighty five times its volume OF
muriatic acid gas, and siXty,fivc times
It's volume of sulphurous acid gas.
1t is this remarkable quality that makes
it so valuable in destroying odor, color
and taste in many substances, and pre-.
serving meats, vegetables and fruits
from rapid decay. Its use as q filter in
cisierns is well known, and its value
here depends upon the same quality.
ii separates and apprOpriates TO itself
the decasin matter and other ilnpuri-
ties In water, rendering it pure and
sweet. II placed on the surface of the
soil, it will gather from the air moist
Ire and gases and impart them to the
growing plants. On the same principle
It's value in the barnyard, stables and
hog rens, as an absOTptivG agent, is in
calcuable. Where used for this pur-
pose, to form the basis of manure il
should be- in powdered state. In re-
gard to this use of charcoal, a writer i'm
Bells Weekly Messenger gives his ex
perlence and views as follows; II an,
fully satisfied that as basis for ma.
nure charcoal will be greatly appreciat
cd when it is more generally known,
i am a great believer in charcoal nv
self, having taken hint when quite a
lad working upon my fathers farm al
'sllhe burning ! noticed how mucl
better the ashes were when Eurnt black
or only charTed, than those that were
overburut or burnt red. Those black
ashes saturated with the runuings of a
dung heap or stable used to be a very
favOilLe garden manure, the results he.
ing so much better when the burn bake
AS we used to call it, was used. thar
when the liquid alone was used, Thi,
gave me great idea of black burr
bake, which | considered a species o
chareoali and for eighteen ytais / mad,
ARTIFICIAL manures for my own use, auC
the las! five years for sale to customers
/ have used charcoal with the very bes
results. l could relate many surpris
ing results from mixing charcoal will
artificial manure, and you will fin,
you have much to learn yet OF the zoo,
effects Of charcoal am trying exper
lments every season on my farm, whicI
Is three hundred acres, SO that / hav
an opportunity of judging of its encc
upon the different crops, and / careful
ly note its effect upon my customers
crops Most Of them tell me that the
never saw such results from any man
ure, and that they could not believ
mat any manure whatever could max
such difference. attributed my sue
cess entirely TO Il suitable admixture @
Charcoal 1t Is a great cleanser AN
storer OF ammonia, aud there is NOR
IN II than any of US know Of yet. Man
Objectionable plants will be found /
disappear entirely by fewapplication,
IL VIII quickly remove moss aud thing
OF that kind and, from appearance,
believe II TO be proof against smut an
blight 10 corn crops. do not sow {
prepare seed corn IN any way, but So
II simply as 1t is, and do not see an
smut or blight of any kind. The MAJ
nTe seems to have a great cleansing an
lnVlgoIating effect. "-[Ohio Farmer