The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-09-24

Sulphate Of lime undgergoes a slow
but continued decomposition in the |
soil. 1t fires the carbonate of am
monia resulting from rain water and
organic detritus. 1t also forms some
sulphato of ammonia and carbonate Of
limo. There is no, doubt Of the enor-
nous quantity of sulphuric acid which
vegetation requires and which plaster
can furnish it. The proportion of
sulphuric acid in crop of lucerne and
rape goes as high sometimes as SO to A
pounds per acre. In cabbage 1t goes
up to 176 pounds per acre. Burnt
plaster is composed of
Sulphuric acid. ..46 81
Ilmc. ................ .32 00
Water. r............... ~ "a
100 90 in 100.
At temperature Of 120 degrees it
loses water and becomes cooked plas-
ter or anhydrous sulphate of lime with
the ability to rcabsorb water if added
to it. Then it is ground to q fine pow
der and is ready either for manufac-
turing or for agriculture. 1t contains
80 per cent. of sulphuric and al per
cent. of pure lime or OXyde of callium.
Lime is the cheapest term Of tho COM
pctc fertilizer.
Pulvcrizcd anhydrous plaster should
always enter to slight excess in
chemical fertilizers where it acts 'sev-
cral useful parts. 1t is q fertilizer
and an cXcipicnt. 1t helps to improve
The soil, gives the necessary volume
to the fertilizer and makes it easier to
handle.
We sec that the four agents of fer
tility, nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash
and lime, exist in inexhaustible guam
titles on the globe and can always be
got at. When you have got the first
| ingredients of a fertilizer, the prcpar-
ing is simple mixture based upon the
nature OF the culture i'm view. The
fertilizer holds the active principles of
the substances composing it.
MINING OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS.
On q dry, tight and smooth barn floor
spread the superphosphate first, then
plaster, then the sulphatc of ammonia,
and lastly the chloride of potassium or
the nitrate Of potash. Mix we'll with q
shovel, pass through sieve or screen,
and mash the small Jumps with a
pcStlc to make them mix we'll. Let
the mass stand twcntv-four hours and
mix again, mashing any Jumps that
escaped in the former working There
are machines costing from Sl40 to $16O
which do all this work at once and in
large masses.
TIE OFFICE OF WATER.
The surface Of the globe is composed
| Of two couchcs or laycrs-one melted,
the other crystallized. In the melted
| couchc the lime, iron, soda and potash
81 /, OIL al;
| gcalcd in blocks. This is chaos and
inertia. In the crystallized couche
| there is sediment; water has jntervcn-
cd; there has been separation of GER
tain bodies and reunion of others. A
| rudimcntary chemical fertilizer has
formed naturally and become the
theatre Of the first manifestations OF
vegctal life.
| 1t has not always rained Oh the
earth. At a time (gcologists have not
vet. determined tho rnrina> tho gas
which onvnIopcd the earth, and which
later was to form air and water, was
held off at great distance and very
much dilated by the high temperature
. OF the central neucleus. Water was
not then formed, and had it been in
the form Of vapor it could no more
have rested on the incandescent globe
than the dew can rest on rcd-hot
cannon ball.
When the terrestrial surface was
concealed and cooled, the sun was the
only remaining source Of active heat
| gaseous matters came nearer. HYDRO
gen and oxygen combined (probably
with combustion that long gave our
planet the appearance of a SUM- and
toLmcd water which began to run on
the wrinIled crust of the globe, at
times tossed up and at times depressed
by the convulsions of the interior fires
which gradually grew more circum-
scrlbcd in action. Water flowed into
the deeper parts and accumulated in
large cavities washed them deeper and
oVcr1loWlng the higher parts, washed
up the lgneous matters lying below
In this way seas and continents were
formed. Solar radiations crossed the
layers of the atmosphere where they
were thinnest over sheets of water and
warmed its surface. Aqueous vapo;s
rose imperceptibly to reassemble as
clouds. The clouds, put in motion
just as they are now, were carried
across continents to be dissolved as
rain. The rains falling on this miner
al crust ended by dissolvino and
washing it down. 1t disintcgrated the
crcsts of mountains, furroWcd their
sides, carried down the soluble salt OF
lime, Potash and soda, and mixing all
these agents with the powdered debris
1t carried down, composed the arabic
SOILS of the valleys. Fertility was
established; the vegetal kingdom ap.
Pcarcd. AS the table was spread the
guests could be seated. The guests
came. Plants were born by reason of
his physiologic axiom: AS soon as tbes
necessary conditions for the formation
OF a being are found united, the being
is born. o
Let us go back in thought to the
chaotlc period when the still burning
globe throwing out fire from all iis
centcrs, moved an uninhabited mase
through celestial space. 1t perhaps
took thirty millions Of centuries TO
prepare the medium for the first useful
vegetation. An immense and slow
tailoW which science to-day accom-.
| pllShCS inStantancOusly pboro I,oo