St. Landry democrat., 1888-07-07
DlSPOSlNG OF BONES.
Treatment Which Will Mako Them OF
Value to the Soil.

Treatment Which Will Mako Them OF
Value to the Soil.
All farmers have at length become
acquainted with the great value OF
bones for fertilizing purposes. They
know that they contain large amount
of phosphorus, which is needed 1of all
the higher orders of the plants used as
food for man. They also know that
they contain lime and substances that
produce ammondia. They think 1t IS
necessary to break bones very tine, or
dissolve them in an acid before they
can be of much value as fertilizers. 1t
is certainly advisable to treat them IN
one of these ways if immediate results
are expected of them. II one is con-
Quoting farming or gardening opera
tons on land leased for a limited period,
he would not apply bones to it unless
they were first reduced by grinding or
treated with an acid. He is looking Tor
immediate results, and knows that they
can not be obtained from bones that are
entire, especially if they have become
dried. Such bones will remain in the
soil long time and show scarcely any
more changes than stones
Bones possess the greatest value al
the time they are taken from an animal
or fowl They then contain a large
amount of fat, the hollow ones 1nclose
marrow and there is considerable flesh
attached to them. The bones, If large,
are very hard to break. Without sulta
BILE machinery it is almost impossible
to pulverize them. If placed in a hire
the animal substances will be consumed
and the mineral portions will become
quite brittle. All the substances, how
ever, that are capable of forming am.
monia will be consumed and lost in the
atmosphere. It is very desirable to
have the animal as well as the mineral
substances that are contained in bones.
This may be done by crushing them IN
machine prepared for the purpose, or
to treating them with sulphuric acid.
Farmers, however, are not generally IN
a condition to do either of these things.
1t will accordingly be their best way to
put the bones under conditions favora-
BILE to their decomposition and at the
same time unfavorable to the loss OF
any part of them that is volatile.
Solid as bones appear, nearly hall
their weight is matter that is quite per.
ishable.
One of the best ways of disposing OF
fresh bones is to throw them into the
pig pen. The pigs will devour the
flesh that is on them and will break
many of them for the purpose of get
ting the marrow they contain. They
will often devour all the bones of a fowl
and most of the smaller ones of sheep
or calf, the last being quite soft. The
undigested portions of them that are
eaten will become part of their dung
and will be in the best condition to use
as fertilizer. The larger bones will
be at length mixed with the manure in
the pen, which during the process OF
fermentation viii soften and partially
decompose them. Bones can be soft
ened and partially decomposed by mix
ing them with fresh horse dung. The
softening and decomposition may be
promoted by putting them in pot with
quick lime and causing it to Stake by
the application of water. The same
thing may be effected by placing them
in tight barrel and covering them
with moist wood ashes or I've. In either
case there is an advantage in first
breaking the larger bones.
II large bones, like those of the heads
of cattle, sheep and horses, are buried
under grapevines Or fruit trees, their
roots will penetrate them and in time
appropriate all the fertilizing matter
they contain. Bones kept under the
sod will decay in time, and their intlu-
ence will extend for considerable dis
lance and for many years. If bones
ground SO long that all, or nearly all,
the animal substances have been taken
from them, it may be best to subject
them to the action of fire, and then pull
verize them with hammer Or the back
of an axe. Bones broken in pieces OF
the size of grains of corn or wheat will
be readily eaten by all kinds of fowls.
If pulverized as fine as coarse corn
meal they will be eaten by cattle and
sheep, and will be of great benefit to
them. Every farmer should save all the
bones he can and utilize them in some
of the ways described. Chicago Times.
To Cure Kicking Cows.