Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-12-12
A0rienltnral department.
FARMERS MEETING AT
HYDEPARK.

Finch, vice president ii. A. cutting,
secretary.
The secretary made few brief re-
marks upon plant growth and the plan
of conducting the meetings of the board,
urging the farmers to ask questions and
enter into discussion and get all the in
formation possible. His remarks were
followed by an address by Prof. Sabin,
setting forth the means of selecting fer
tilizers and recommended the plat trial
to ascertain the wants of the plant:
First the chemist invented the chem
ical fertilizer. and yet he was dependent
on the farm experiments to determine
its actual value. He would know its
commercial value, but not its actual
value to the farmer without experiment.
During the summer he had been in CEN
trail New York where he found excellent
land selling for one hundred dollars per
acre, but they were using commercial
fertilizers and getting much money out
of them, as they paid them large profits.
The farmers no more thought of getting
along without them than without the
machines they cut their crops with !;
yet they all used the utmost economy
in saving their barn manure, and used
it in the most approved manner. Farm
ers here need more manure, and must
save it better, and make out the balance
by an economical expenditure for COM
mercial fertilizers.
He gave the value to the plants of the
different fertilizers according to the
present market value of the various sub
stances in them. showing that as rule
the farmers were getting their moneys
worth.
The following table expresses their
values as found by analysis: One speci-
men made in Chicago by some Germans
sold for S34 per ton, and was worth
S56.85; one sold for $50 was worth
$l4.5l; eight varieties selling for $35
were worth but $26.29, while seven
others at the same price were worth
$+2.l4; six selling for $50 were worth
$32.47, and SIX others at the same price
were worth $39.25 eight selling al
$40 were worth 5000, while eight
others analysed selling at same price
were worth $41.83.
What farmer is there, if he knew it
that would not prefer to buy the super
phosphate worth S56.85 for $34. if h,
could, rather than any other? This su
perphosphate was ground bone dissolved
in sulphuric acid in way l will sool
explain.
AS farmers cannot each have all th
superphosphates examined before pur
chasing, the state should do that wor
and give the farmers the benefit.
He then gave directions about maxim
superphosphates, the following formul
condensed from his remarks being tn
best for common use:
Take one barrel of fine ground bone
divide it, putting half in a large tn
like hogshead, and pour upon it thrt
gallons of water stir it up thorough,
and slowly add one gallon of sulphur
acid, such as you can get at any dru
store for about three cents per pound
and it should weigh fourteen pounds
the gallon. After it is done foamir
add another gallon. let it stand ovt
night and then add the third gallon ar
the other half barrel of bone stir
until it is we'll mixed and you have tt
phosphate that is worth $685. as
the table.
Discussion followed
Rev. H. A. Bushnell then inquir,
how bones could best be prepared wit
ashes.
Prof. Sabin said that after breakil
them as fine as possible, put in barre
alternate layers of bone with layers
ashes; wet as much as you can witho
teaching, and let it stand about 70
months. The bones would then
fully pulverized.
But this was not superphosphat
yet was a valuable fertilizer if the la
required such, which could be cas-
found out by experiment.
Orry Wiswell said he had great di
Guilty in breaking the bones-often ne
ly broke his shins instead-and wish
to know how 1t could be done.
Prof. Sabin said they were not e;
to break, but on solid rock or anvil
could be DONE yet it required persev
ance and labor to accomplish much a
where.
DR.. H. A. Cutting gave an addr
upon the ''Adulteratlon of what we ca
He remarked that the adulteration
merchandise was quite general /; in
that the practice was SO fully sett
upon the trade that it was often diff,
to obtain strictly pure articles.
where to lay the blame was hard to
termine-but the cause of it, Doubt
was largely the demand in the coul
for cheaper goods. The matter is
important one, and should be under
control of the officers of public hea