The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-03-23
ABOUT MARl.
It's Chemical Qualities and Value a. a Fer
tiIizing Agent.

All IaTIntTc uO uOi EtIbHhlLt hiati
when they see it, and many who know
this material by sight are ignorant of
its value and uses. In reply tn inquiries
regarding this subject, Prof. X. c.
Kenzie, i'm bulletin from the chemical
department of the Agricultural College
of Michigan. gives some valuable infor-
nation of general interest, which is
here presented in condensed form.
Mari is often found nj the bottom OF
muck beds and shallow ponds. in layers
of varying thickness, of white or
yellowish white material. Ii consists
of carbonate Of lime, carbonate of mag
nesia, sometimes small amount OF
phosphate of lime, some oxide al iron
and variable amount of clay and SAND.
The value of mari depends almost
entirely upon the amount of lime ami
magnesia il contains, and it, value II
diminished i'm proportion TO the amount
of clay and sand present. IL therefore
happens that some marls are almost
worthless a. fertilizers. while others
are quite valuable. Now. lime and
maynesia are found in mari, mainly I'm
| the form of carbonatcS- Therefore
test for carbonate i'm such eases Is To
pour on the material some strong acid,
and If a carbonate Is present IL will
foam UP when vinegar il poured over
IL; only the efferveSccnce with mari Is
| slower. because the mari l. less soluble
than soda If the material does not
| foam when an acid i added IT Is not
mari, but probably 4 clay.
A good way to determine the quality
and value of mari i TO determine how
much of the material is soluble in COM
mon muriatic acid. This can be pro-
CURED i'm any drug store, and ought
not to cost more than ten cents q
pound. One pound of the acid ought
10 he enough TO test three or four
specimens of mari. Mix the acid with
one quart of rainwater and put this IN
4 bottle for use. Take tablespoon
full of the material supposed TO he mari.
put this i'm large glass or earthen
vessel (ayoiding metallic diShes)- and
| slowly pour over the material half
teacup of the dilute muriatic acid. II
| il is a mari. the effervescence will show
this fact: il il all dis>olveS. leaving no
residue, or hut little. at the bottom of
| the vessel. il i mari of good quality
If but little is dissolved. and u large
| residue is left AT the bottom OF the dish.
il is of inferior quality.
A popular and simple test TO distin.
guish between mari and clay is made
by placing lump of the material in 8
basin of water and leaving il undiS-
turbed for short time; if il is mari. IL
1 l.. 4 int a
but if clay It will be little changed
To the farmer mari is of yaluc mainly
a. fertilizer. When found on or neal
the farm. il is the cheapest form in
which lime can bee applied To- the soil
- -~-.- al the beneficial influences
cauStie lime. When mixed with the
soil. mari DESTROYS the acid condition
in any soil, decompo>cs the sulphate oi
iron which i sometimes present. anC
affords the alkaline condition in soil,
80 necessary for MULTIPLICATION and prep
aration of plant food.
Light, sandy soils, containing a fail
supply of vegetable matter. and wher
the decomposition of humuS i slow
soils that run TO moss and bunch grass
soils 80 open and porous that the ply
zeal state of the soil prevents fruitful
ness-all such soils are benefited by !
dressing Of mari. So also where the
excess of vegetable matter prevents
successful cropping will a dressing Ol
fifty TO seventy-five bushels of mari Ia
the acre greatly benefit the crops and
ameliorate the soil.
To secure the benefits of mari il re.
quires TO be on or near the surface. Tic
do the most good mari needs to be
finely pulveriZed. and To be mixed with
the surface soil. To secure this fineness
of division no agent is so good as frost
Ii il is thrown on the surface of the
ground and left all winter 10 the split
ting wedge of frost, il will be found in the
spring a mellow as an ash heap, and can
then easily and uniformly be spread
upon the field. Grass lands, whether
in pasture or meadow, can thus be ben
Gifted by a surface dressing Of mari.
If two or three bushels of common salt
are spread on each acre with the mari
the benefit is usually greater. Indeed,
the combination of mari and salt is
usually found to be beneficial.
On grass lands the mari may be APP
piled at any season when We are sure
that frosts will follow, so a to mellow
and break up the clods. If it becomes
dry and hard without freezing il may
remain in Jumps and be of very little
benefit. In grain crops the finely di-
vided mari eXerts most benefit If APP
piled just before seeding.
Soils entirely destitute of vegetable
matter will probably derive little bene-
fit from mari. On heavy clay soils
mari will be less beneficial, unless used
in SO large an amount as to change the
physical properties of the soil. The
expense of transporting so large an
amount of material as will be required
to alter the physical properties of the
soil, even when the distance is short, is
l tnn rrnnf for the rnninn Of nhnan lands