The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-30
The Use of Land Plaster.

The Use of Land Plaster.
Land plaster is the cheapest and most
abundant Of all our commercial fertilizers,
and on most lands, and for many crops, il is
the most effective, says the American CltJ-
TRAITOR. In many parts OF the country it is
used extensively by the farmers, where its
true value is appreciated, but in other sec
tions it is to be regretted that its merits are
not properly understood by the farmers.
When land plaster can be had at first hand
1t will pay the farmer to purchase it direct
from the quarry. The two leading varieties
OF land plaster are known respectively as
the Cayuga and the Nova Scotia. Both of
these have their virtues, and, while the one
is black and the other light, there is no
doubt that the question to be decided by
the farmer is one of purity rather than that
Of color.
Land plaster, called also gypsum, is
| abundant in different parts of this country,
and it is sent here from Nova Scotia often
as ballast for the vessels. 1t can thus be OBJ
tained very cheaply. The plaster
Is a sulphate of lime, sui
| phuric acid and water. Soils Astounding in
sulphate of lime, which is quite common in
certain sections Of the country, would thus
not be much benefited by an application of
gypsum, while on the contrary those soils
deficient in these mineral elements would be
greatly improved Likewise great deal
! depends on the plants, some plants requiring
more of these elements than others for their
proper growth.
Taking the soils first we find that gypsum,
| or land plaster does the greatest amount of
| good on soils which are naturally deficient
in mineral elements. In lowland meadow
soils. where the vegetable material COM
| poses large part of the soil, land plaster
would perform wonders. Such soils are
naturally crying for mineral elements SO
essential to the growth of plants but on
heavy clay soils. coal, slate or sandstone
| gravel the demand for gypsum is not SO
! great. But gypsum has peculiar property
about it which makes it beneficial to all
soils independent of its fertilizing qualities.
1t is great absorbent of water and am
monia, which makes it an almost indispen-
sable article for soils during dry seasons. 1t
has the power of storing up the water in
/ stead of letting it leach through and escape,
| and during extremely dry seasons it will
| hold this moisture in readiness for the plants
| to take. In this way land plaster benefits
| every kind of soil to which it is applied.
| The plants that derive profit from gypsum
include all known to agriculturist, but some
| more than others profit by the fertilizer.
| Clover stands at the head of the list as one
responding quickly to the application, aud
| it will often make all the difference between
a good and bad crop of clover whether the
gypsum has been applied. Gypsum will
thus be found to be the foundation of all
good farming, for the agriculturist that can
grow good crops of clover cannot fail to i'm
| prove his farm and raise good crops of other
plants. Fertilizers need not cost much, for
the crop Of clover plowed under will do
more good than artificial fertilizers. One
hundred pounds of land plaster to the acre,
sown broadcast, will prevent a clover patch
from being burnt up by dry spell. and 200
| pounds spread over the fields beforehand
will give the clover a splendid start. Ii may
| be sown at seeding time, or when the plants
are up, but the former method seems pref
cradle, for it will then enable the plants to
get good catch. Gypsum is thus made the
foundation of a good crop of clover, and il
the young crop is threatened by a drought
| gypsum can come in as a top-dressing
Even during very severe droughts land
plaster will avert direful calamity in the
| clover field if applied early enough.
Next to clover come the other grass, timo'
thy, blue grass and alfalfa, all Of which are
greatly benefited by an application of land
| plaster, either at the time of seeding or later
as top-dressing. Rye never fails to re-
spond quickly to an application of plaster.
| The plaster also holds forth its water reser-
voirs to these plants as well during dry sea-
sons, and it thus becomes great prevention
to failure of crops.
Corn is greatly improved by land plaster
whether it is applied as top dressing, scat
tered broadcast over the fields at seeding
time or when placed in the hills. But in
this latter way it will sometimes burn uI
the corn or rot it. For this reason if it is
desired to put it in the hills it is better &C
wait until the corn is up, and then apply II
around the plants on top of the hills. Ii
may be used in the same way for potatoes
and the same rules apply for this crop.
| Land plaster does not enter directly into
the composition of plants to any great eX'
tent, but it has mechanical and chemical
properties which make it invaluable. II
prepares the vegetable matter already IL
the soil for the plants to take up, and in ad
dition absorbs and holds moisture during
dry seasons. Probably the best use tc
which land plaster can be put is to mix
large quantities of it with the stable ma
nure heap. 1t will make the manure ready
for use in early spring, and it will be so well
rotted that the heap can be almost pene
trated to the bottom with shovel. In To-
calities where gypsum can be obtained for 6
few dollars per ton, this work should not be
neglected. 1t will prove great benefit tc
the manure heap, and convert many farm
ers to stronger belief in the efficacy Of
land plaster.