Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-10-17
BONES AS FERTILIZER.
Various Ways OF Treatment Whlch Have
Beon Found Satisfactory. III

BONES AS FERTILIZER.
Various Ways OF Treatment whicL Have
Beon Found Satisfactory.
AL farmers have at length become
acquainted with the great value oi
bones for fertilizing purposes. They
know they contain q large amount 81
phosphorus, which is needed for all
the higher order of the plants used ~
food for man. They also know that
they contain lime and substances that
produce ammonia. They think It ID
necessary to break the bones very fine,
or to dissolve them in IN acid before
they can be OF much value as fertil-
izers- 1t is certainly advisable to
treat them in one Of these waysIf Inn
med iato results arc expected Of them.
II ono is conducting farming or gar
dening operations ON land leased for q
limited period, he would not apply
bones to 1t unless they wore drst re-
duced BY grinding or treated with an
acid. He is looking for immediate re-
suits and knows that they can not be
obtained from bones that are entire,
especially il they become dried. Such
bones will remain in the soil a long
time and show scarcely any more
changes than stones. s.- - 5..~-4 .-,s-
boS'es possess the greatest value at
the time they are taken from an animal
or fowl. They then contain a large
amount of fat, the hollow ones inclose
marrow, and there is considerable
flesh attached to them. These bones,
If large. are very hard to break. With
out suitable machinery it is almost i'm
possible to pulverize them. If placed
IN q fire the animal substance will be
consumed and the mineral portions
will become quite brittle. All tho
substances, however, that are capable
of forming ammonia will be consumed
and lost in the atmosphere. It is very
desirable to save the animal as we'll as
the mineral substances that are CON-
bined in bone. This may be done by
crushing them in a machine prepared
for the purpose or treating them with
sulphuric acid. Farmers, however,
are not generally in a condition to do
either of these things.
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 getting the
marrow they contain. They will often
devour all the bones of fowl and
most of the smaller ones of sheep or
calf, the last being quite soft. The I'M
digested portions of them that are
eatsa will become part of their dung.
and will be in the best condition to use
as a fertilizer. The lager bones will
be at length mixed with the manure in
the pen, which during the process of fer
mentation will soften and partly decom-
pose them. Bones can be softened and
partially decomposed by mixing them
with fresh horse-dung. The softening:
and decomposition may be promoted
by putting them in pot with quick
limo and causing it to Stake by the
application of water. The same thing
may be effected by placing them in a
tight barrel and covering them with
moist wood ashes OR lye. In either
case there is an advantage in first
breaking the larger bones.
If large bones, like those of the
heads of the cattle, sheep and horses,
are buried under the grapevines or
fruit trees their roots will penetrate
them and in time appropriate all the
fcrtilizing matter they contain. Bones
kept under the soil will decay in time,
and their influence will extend for
considerable distance and for many
years. If bones have remained on the
surface of the 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 pulverize them with a
hammer or the back of an axe. Bones
broken in, pieces of the size of
q grain of corn or wheat will be read
lily eaten by all kinds of fowls. If pull
verified as fine as coarse cornmeal
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 above described. Chicago Globe.
WORK FOR WOMEN. -.
Horticultura q plaaaanA Pursuit. That Ia