Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-04-17
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
RkDUOING BONEs.
Bones as Plant Food, and How TO
Reduce Them by burning and Com
p0siing or uslng Snlph uric acid.

posting or Using Suiphurtc hciu.
fhe Southern C,ihpator prints come
queries on the use of bones which with
the answers will prove interesting:
/. Iu burning lot of bones for expert
meut as to loss in weight, l found IS
pounds reduced to 40 pounds Was any
thing valuable "a a fertilizer lost, and II |
so what WAS IL
q Where bones, such as are picked up |
In old fields, and elaew here, some Of them |
probably FIVE to 10 years old are plentiful
and obtained at little cost, will IL pay TO
reduce them by burning, and then COM
post with ashes II so, what proportions
should be observed in composing, and
how long should they remain in compost
before application to q CROP
3. Which Ia the more economical to
farmer of small means, and at the same
time makes the more efficient fertilizer,
the above means of reduction and subse-
quent composing with ashes, or to reduce
with sulphurio acid and then mix (nOt
oompost) with ashes for immediate appli-
cation to a crop
a. In using sulphurio acid TO effect q
reduction, what quantity is required to
ton OF bones
8. In market gardening what veseia-
bles specially require bone manure 7
And should the manure be- applied broad
cast or in the drill and what quantity
per acre
Answer. Bones consist Il both
organic and mineral matter. About one
third of the whole weight is gelatine, and
this is consumed and disappears in burn.
Ing. This gelatine is heterogeneous sub.
stance, hence raw bones contain from
four to five per cent. OF potential
ammonia. This ia lost in the burning
Raw bone dust owes its msnurisl value
in part to the nitrogen and in part to til,
phosphate of lime it contains; burnt bon,
contains larger percentage OF phosphate
OF lime than unburnt.
2. 1t is sometimes recommended Il
break bones into moderate sized piece
and compost with ashes. The object i
to have the ashes "eat up'' the gelat NJ
(Which holds the phosphate OF inns iu it
oellsl and thus secure the pulveriz.ng Q
the bone. But in the case OF burnt bones
the gelatine has been already destroyed
and the phosphate OF lime left crumble
and can be- pulverized quite easily. Gher
Is no object, therefore, in compostlp
burnt bones with ashes the two thing
might be simply mixed to make NOR
mixture would be three of boue to Que
ashes by weight.
8. As rule we would not not advis
farmers to reduce bones by adding sn
phuric acid to them. They have not Ii
appliances, or requisite skill, neither ca
they readily get the bones broken u
sufficiently line for the acid to dissolv
them perfectly. 1t is better for farmel
In hnF rt1t
thoroughly as possible. Screen and bur
hard pieces over again il necessary, al
then compost with some substance tic
in nitrogen which will iermcnt freel
The object is two fold : first, the fermel
tstion and it's products render the ii
soluble phosphate Of lime more solub
and therefore more available to plant
second, such substances supply II
nitrogen which was lost in burning II
bones, and which is necessary to make
more complete manure The 9th
ingredients likewise contribute to Il
lsst-named point. Cotton see6, cott
seed meal and horse manure are all W,
suited for the purpose. Burnt bon
powdered and spripkled from tins
time in the stalls of horses wall be brvug
into good condition for fertiliziug pu
poses.
d. Where the bones are free from q
mixture with anything else, and are We
finely powdered (bOne dus,) as much
rs pounds of sulphuric aud may
added to 100 pounds of burnt bone. b
as rule it is neither safe nor we'll to a
60 much; there is danger Of all not bel
taken up by the bones and free sui phu
acid remaining in the preparation. FIJI
pounds to the hundred, or half t
weight OF bones, is the best quantity
acid to use.
5. All vegetables or plauis that
cultivated for their seed or fruit, I
stems and leaves, call for bone manure
peas, beans, corn, melons, cuoumbe
squashes, Irish potatoes and tomato
Roots also,as turnips AID beets, Cabbs,
also call for phosphates as they do
every ingredient in manure4. In fl
bones are good manure for everythii
II used in large quantities, l 900 pour
per acre, apply broadcast 40 pounds
under, apply in drill.