Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1880-10-28
AGRICULTURAL.
Use of Bones as Manure.

mot understood until Irof. Lleolg
about forty years ago, discovered the
method of making super2hosphate Of
limo from them. Prev iously it was
known that bones were a valuable
fertilizer, and probably this knowl'
edge was derived from experiment in
'tluced by the strong smell of the waste
bone dust from the old. fashioned bone
button factories. But to what element
>Ql tho b)n,s tie value was due WAS
not known. In an old work on agri,
culture, in which the waste bore from
button factories is recommended az a
good manure for light SOILS when
mixed with ashes, it is further stated
that those bones whfch contain the
most oil and marrow are the best Tor
manure, and that the better the juice
of the' bones is spread over the field
the more useful they will be. Boaes
were first used in gardens and green
houses, and from thence made their
way slowly to the felds.-These old
ideas are even now current. AS soon
as the rea! character of the bone was
discovered and its analogy with that
of the mineral matter of the most val.
liable crops,-as soon, in fact, as ana
,lytical agricultural chemistry became
en- established science thea the true
>valUe OF bones. or rather ct their prin-
ciral element, became understood. It
was found that the phosphoric acid
contained in them was the actual
source Of their value, and that the
fat they contained was totally useless.
1t was then discovered that the soil
was deficient in phosphoric acid, after
centuries Of cropping, and that t!na
element was restored by the applica.
ton of bone. This may seem an old
story to many perSons,'but the major
ity of American farmers to day do not
know that bones are of any value to
tho soil, aud are without any interest
in the fact that superphosphates OF
slime restore to the soil the chief ele
'ment of fertility which is distracted
by the wheat and other grains, the
milk, cheese, aud live animals, whlcl.
are carried off from their farms. Tie
Enquiries which are so frequently
male on this point, and the absence
of knowledge which is found in con-
ycrsation with farmers, prove this.
Moreoye.', if any proof were wanting
the fact that superphosphate Of lime
is practically unknown in many loos.
,.ties and is unused, more than it ls
Unknown, would furnish it. This is !
athing to be regretted, because phos
;,horic acid is one Of the most alum
dant substances in nature, existing in
.lnexhaustible quantities in vast beds
of rock, and in this form it is equally |
valuable aud much cheaper than in
the form in which it is combined in
sbones. The supply Of bones is limited
,and it is fortunate that ready sub
:stitue is found in vast natural depos.
Its Of phosphate of lime.
Bones consist, when fresh, Of 6S.
per cent. of mineral matter, Of which
IS per cent. (of the bone) is phos-
phate Of lime; 81 perct. oforganic
matter, chiefly gelatine and fat, and
) per cent. Of water. The organic
matter contains 81 per cent. Of nitro.
gen. the mineral matter contains from
20 to 25i per cent. Of phesphoric acid
and SO 10 3j per cent lime. fThe
.phosphoric acid and the nitrogen are
the valuable elements, the former
being worth at 6 cts. a pound, $l5r,
and the latter, at 25 cts. pound, 81
cts; 100 pounds Of bone, theo., ina
condition to be available, would be
worth 1887. But bones when whole
are only slowly soluble'in the soil. In
moist sol! they will decay and wholly
disappear only in SO many years THAT
it is necessary to reduce them to a
fine state of division to make chem
useful. This is done by grindnS
them to powder or'by burning then:
to ashes The latter Method is the
cheapest, but the nitrogen is lost and
If the bones can be'redeced to powder
for less than the value Of the nitrogen
rthe more costly method is tile best.
But in many cases it is Impossible to
grind them for want ofm;lls, and then
the burning becomes THE only practi-
cable method. This leaves the phos-
,,,hats Of lime I'M the finest possible
condition, and sufficiently soluble TO
be as available for plant food as i'll