Milford chronicle., 1888-04-13
AMMONIA.

Nearly all growing plants riquire ammonia
as plant food Plants of quick growth re-
quire more ammonia than those of slower
growth Peas, melons, potatoes, ,cucumbers,
cabbage, and nearly all vegetables require
ammonia, because of their quick growth.
Ammoniates are derived from several sources.
Stable, hog and hen manures are rich in am
monia nitrate soda and sulphate of ammo
mia are very rich in ammonia-about rs per
cent; but are Objectionable for one reason,
viz because oftheir quick solubility as soon
as they come in contact with water they are
entirely soluble as each of these articles will
melt in water as quickly as salt or sugar fol
this reason: If the plant can't take up the
soluble ammonia, it escapes; because it is
exceedingly volatile. Fish scraps, or fish
composted, is another source of ammonia
also king crab.
All ammoniates have their peculiarities.
Some being soluble, and some never solu-
BILE Ammonia generated from leather, scrap
hoofs and horns of cattle-although they
show a large amount of ammonia by actual
analysis-yet they are of little value; be-
cause they are so hard to render soluble that
their effects are not seen, consequently are
almost worthless because of the insolubility.
Hence I say ammoniates are valuable in pro-
portion to the adaptability and assimilation
to the growing plant some ammoniates
being too quick, others being too slow.
The ammoniates that are the product of
the animal kingdom-from horses, cattle,
hogs and sheep-have proved to be the most
valuable and permanent Of all ammoniates
They are the natural product of the earth.
The plants and cereals of the earth produced
the animals, heLce they are the natural pro-
duct of the earth, and as such, they are the
proper food for all plants that grow out of
the earth They are available plant food, and
yet are permanent for this reason: It is
ground in fine pieces and sigments that de
compose slowly and gradually as the plant
requires. Ifrains or water does not make
animal tankage soluble all at once, as it does
nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia;
therefore it is a plant food that is not iustan-
taneous, but ready and permanent; lasting
wants it Tankage, known as ground horse
meat, stands highest in the order of tankages
and ammoniates tor all quick growing crops,
for this reason: The horse is more muscular
than other animals; his flesh and tendous are
not so fatty as the hog or COW, and tankage
derived from the body of the horse stands at
the head of the list, yielding from II to "a
per-cent. of ammonia, aud IS per cent of
bone phosphate; hence, its great activity and
permanency being free from fatty matter
It is easily assmilated by the growing plant
All chemists and noted agriculturists have
observed this very important fact, that am
moniates derived from the horse, COW, hog
or sheep, are the most valuable and perma-
nent Fish and king crab are not near so
valuable as ammoniates as the animal, for
the reason that they are grown in the water,
A water production, quick, humid and soon
gone, scarcely lasting to grow the first crop
because watery aud destitute of body and
exceedingly volatile. Actual experiments
have proved it so.
As great many farmers living near the
bayshore have thought to enrich their lands
by king crab aud shark, by composing and
applying to the land and noted the results,
have quit the hauling of crabs and sharks as
not being worth hauling The result being
so like flash, that it was soon gone. Thus
showing its humid watery condition and
total lack of permauency and body.
W. I. SIMPSON.