Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-06-29
Agricultural.
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Dissolved bone black should contain fifteen
per cent, or more Of soluble phosphoric acid.
It is one Of the cheapest forms in which solu-
BILE phosphoric acid can be obtained. IT, buy
ing any Of the so-called phosphates or com
plete fertilizers we pay half their cost Tor the
few pounds OF nitrogen which they contain.
Now, late experiments tend TO show that,
though nitrogen is by far the most expensive
part Of the common commercial fertilizers,
it is for many crops and on many soils the
least valuable Of the three which have been
considered essential, namely, nitrogen, phos-
phorc acid and potash Prof. Atwater says
"The experiments are numerous and decisive
enough to warrant the inference that, as corn
is commonly grown, heterogeneous fertilizers
in any considerable quantity would be rarely
profitable In some cases they show an in
creased crop but not usually sufficient to pay
the cost Of so high priced fertilizer.
Secretary Cutting says Numerous cx-
poriments showing widely different results
are reported yet the inevitable conclusion
must be that the farmer need not buy much
If any nitrogen or heterogeneous materials for
fcrtizng his land. As that is the most cost
ly ingredient which has been supposed neces-
sary to proper fertilization, it will be seen
that by the use Of such materials as I have
urged for your consideration, and the judi
cious use OF the manures about the farm. yard,
it will not need to be purchased. The saving
Of purchase money will be something, and tho
increased value of crops that produce well
and do not lodge will be mach more"
OF the value Of one or the other, according
to needs Of the soil, OF the other two ingred-
tents Of the ordinary commercial fertilizer,
there is no question. II We wish to buy one
of these without the other, we can buy pot
ash in wood ashes, or we can buy the muriate
or sulphate Of potassa; but if we wish to buy
soluble phosphoric acid in dissolved bone
black, no dealer, we think, is licensed TO sell
it in this state. Section 6, Of the law relating
to commercial fertilizers referred to in a late
number of the PHOENIX by our correspondent
&C. Of Westminster, defines the term com
mercial fertilizers as follows:
CSC. 6. The term commercial fertilizers
as used in this act shall be taken to mean
compounded and manufactured substances
containing or represented to contain two or
more ingredients mentioned in section three
Of this act, but shall not apply to the sepa-
rate ingredients used to manufacture the same
when sold in their pure condition, or to bone
meal, land plaster, lime or any substance the
product Of nature which has not been com
pounded
This definition leaves no room for doubt
that pure bone-black, to be used as a fertilizer,
might be sold without license; but dissolved
bone black is the bone treated with sulphuric
acid, by which the greater part Of its twenty
five or thirty per cent of phosphorc acid be-
comes soluble. In that state it is not "a
product of nature which has not been COM
pounded, " and it has two or more of the in
gradients named in section 3, and therefore
comes within the provisions of the law.