St. Landry democrat., 1882-08-19
Salt as a Fertilizer.

Common salt is a compound of chic
rne and sodium, the first being gas
and the latter metal. From sodium
is derived soda by a union with oxygen,
and soda is usually met with in the
shape of sulphuric, carbonate, or BIZ
carbonate. Nearly all plants contain
more Or less soda. though it does not
supply the place of potash to any ex-
tent. Common salt therefore, supplies
soda 70 all plants with which it may
come in contact, and the chlorine is a
very useful substance in the soil; it
also yields up that element. 1t is a
very difficult matter to separate the
two which are SO firmly bound together
in the salt; still, there is no doubt that
salt undergoes disintegration in the soil.
But before this takes place it first per-
forms several duties as salt, and expert
'ments have proved this substance to be
very important to the farmers. 1t will
kill weeds to SOW salt on them when
wet with dew. Applied on land, after
seeding to corn, wheat or turnips, pro-
vided it does not come in contact with
plants Just pushing through, it facili-
tates their growth and keeps cut
worms, turnip flies. and even the
Hessian fly away to a certain extent.
1t is also obnoxious to many
other insects. In experiment with
salt it should not be overlooked
that it is beneficial to some few.
weeds, .bnt positive injury to. the ma
jority. The celebrated DR.. Voe!ker, a.
German chemist, used the solutions of
salt in order to test its effect on differ
ant plants, and found that from three
to twelve grains in pint of water pro-
duced no effect on cabbages, beans,
onions. lentils and thistles, but a solu-
ton of double strength instantly killed
the sweet vernal grass. A solution OF
twenty four grains to the pint gave
fresher appearance to cabbages. radish-
es and lentils, the latter especially be-
ing highly benefited, but a solution of
forty eight grains exercised aprejudicial
effect on lcntils, while it did no injury
to the other plants. From these exper-
iments it appears that it is useless to
apply more than the quantity actually
required, and that fertilizers will give
excellent results when used in proper
proportions, but are sometimes injuri-
GUS in large quantities. The plants
mostly benefited by salt are cabbages,
celery, asparagus onions, radishes and
tomatoes. Grasses are affected more
readily by salt than other crops, and it
is of especial advantage to dubious
plants and plants with succulent leaves.
Salt is taken up into the body of plants
without decomposition to limited de-
gree. Sown on soils it renders them
fri bn
erty Of attracting moisture from
the atmosphere. Mr.. William Sanders,
OF Washington, ID. c., writing to
the National Farmer states that this
property has been significantly utilized
in the growth of turnips, beets and other
root crops in dry seasons. Application
of ten bushels to the acre on young
beets that were languishing for moisture
had an astonishing effect in the vigorous
growth at once impaired to the young
plants, and increased the crop to the eN-
tent of five tons per acre above that pro-
duced in the same field which was
treated in the same way, but emitting
salt. Even on the following wheat field
the salted portion was clearly defined,
as the wheat on that portion stood bet
rior in every respect. When salt is
mixed with moist earth and lime con-
siderable quantity of carbonate of soda
and chloride of calcium is produced. the
chlorine OF a part of the salt uniting
with the lime, while carbonic acid sup
plies its place, forming carbonate Of
soda. This, having the property of
combining with silica and rendering it |
soluble, is OF great benefit to plants, and
if it is thus able to assist plants in ap-
propriating silica, which is a very insol-
uble substance under certain conditions,
it no doubt possesses other chemical
properties which are. as desirable in the
soil as the actual benefit derived by the
plants directly from the salt. .--Philadel-
phad Record. Ha sc. H.
Rr N