Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-06-05
Agricultural,



1t is reported that Vernon farmer is salt
ing his entire farm at the rate OF several hun
dred pounds per acre, having purchased for
this purpose a carload Of refuse salt at syria
ouse, N. Y, costing about S. per ton
Salt has been used as fertilizer from time
immemorial. Its use for this purpose is in
cidentally referred to in the New Testament;
salt, therefore, IL good but II even the
salt has become tasteess, wherewith shall 1t
be seasoned. It is ct neither for the land,
nor for the dunghil." Some Of the earliest
English writer's on agriculture mention salt
AZ fertilizer, and recommend its .usei but,
though it seems to have been occasionally
applied to the soil to promote vegetable
growth, in almost all ages and countries, it's
use as a fertilizer has never become general.
The fact that it has not come into more gen
eral use after being tested no long time
would lead US not TO expect very marked
effect from its use on ordinary soils. While
there are numerous experiments recorded in
which salt has appeared to have a wonderful
effect in increasing the crop, modern chem
stry does not place high value upon 1t AZ a
fertilizer II is found in some Of the fertil-
izers Analysed at the experiment stations,
but il is not estimated in making yaluato ms.
or sample OF saltpeter refuse, sold as a fer
tizer, and analy zed at the Connecticut sta
ton Prof. johnson says ut is mixture of
nine parts salt and less than one part saltpeter,
aud is probably waste product of some man
ufacturing process. Its cost is $40 per ton on
the cars in New York. Allowing cents per
pound for the potash and 20 cents per pound
for the nitrogen, its estimated value would
be SIS %. IL could be safely used only 10
moderate quantity, since, 'or every pound OF
saltpeter applied, ten pounds of salt would
also be applied" Aud he adds ''If the
price were lower, those who salt their mead
ows would fluid this an excellent material for
the purpose" While this fertilizer contained
30 per cent of common salt only tho 8.31
per cent of potassium nitrate and the less than
one per cent of potassium chloride was reck-
oned in the estimate, though the added remark
seems to imply that the salt may have kind
of doubtful value.
On the other hand, DIR. II. A. Cutting, Of
the Vermont board of agriculture, in con
Guiding directions for compromising home
made fertilizer, says "If l did not other
wise use salt in all my fertilizers, think
should add bushel of salt to ton of thii
mixture"
Most plants contain both chlorine aud so
dunn, the two elements of which common
salt is composed, either in combination al
salt or with other elements, in small quaint
ties few plants contain large quantities
as the beet, the ash of which is about one
third common salt. But whether salt i
wanted in most soils as a direct plant food i
still question. II not, it may be useful a
an absorbent of moisture and a solvent o
plant food. Applied in large quantities it i
known to be destructive to vegetation. /
has been recommended to apply it TO grave
walks at the rate of 20 to 40 bushels to tn
acre to kill weeds. Yet more than half thi
quantity, it is claimed, has beon applied T.
the soil with good effect.
An old agricultural writer says: "Applie
to grain crops on light soils, at the rate O
800 to 600 pounds per acre, salt increase
the product of seed, and very much improve
its weight and quality 1t also tends to pre-
tect wheat from the attacks of wire-worms
mildew and rust. The effect, too, is direct
and the result immediate and apparent. o
grass lands and clover salt has a very goo
effect, rendering the heritage much NOR
palatable to stock, and serves to destro
some kinds of weeds and worms 1t hs
been employed at the rate of to 1G bushe
per acre, and where the primary object ha
been the destruction of the old turf, even 3
or 40 bushels have been successfully apple
to same quantity of land. With potatoes n,
merous experiments have been made wit
salt az q manure, with varying success.
And the writer might have said the same {
nearly all other crops as well.