Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-21

to the State some Of them would BE- sure
to answer poor land.
Therefore. when any man who seems
qualified to speak undertakes to tell us OF
a practical method by which we may In
definitely increase our crops and improy"
our soils at the same time. we certainly
ought to iooK into his statements.
Mr.. Julius Heasei, a well-known Ger
man chemist. In little book. Bread
from Stones" just published by A. j.
lapel. tells the world how TO renovate Its
impoverished farms. The book falls Into
three natural divisions. In the first place
Mr. Hensel demonstrates the vital errors
OF Lieblg and his followers. He points
out and explains how their Investigations
we're defective. and their conclusions con-
seauently erroneous. Part OF his argu-
ment Is addressed to chemists only. but
most Of II is ineligible TO any educated
man, and appears very cogent indeed.
Secondly, Mr.. ii snssl shows us the pro-
per method OF ferti,izIng. Initiate ma
ture." he says. He shows us that the
famous Nile mud and the rich loan OF
all the fertile valleys and plains OF the
world are composed not OF animal ana
vegetable refuse, but Of the finely-com-
minuted particles OF the primeval rocks
IL Is not upon the deep-soiled and often
manurtd plains that we must look for the
sweetest nay anu lfults dlu tht biithAeoN
flowers. but upon the low valleys which
are flooded by silt-laden streams from the
hills. and upon the bases OF the mountains,
where the lands feel the influence OF the
dislntegrations of the slopes and Gins
above The plains of Germany have been
cultivated many times as long and far
more carefully than the Piedmont OF Viz
ginla, But German tobacco IL unbsar-
able. while "Virginian" is a synonym for
excellence. The high-priced West Virginia
bright wrappers are grown exclusively on
new mountain land. Therefore, says Mr..
Hensel, let us pulverize our granite and
other prmeval rocks TO the finest pos
sible powder "a coarse powder Is COM
paratively useess). Let US add TO this
whatever chemical ingredients the particu-
lar crop may ned which the rock does
not contain. Plough this under before seed
ing, and when the crop comes In we snail
see the difference Moreover, every year
that we do this we shall find our land In
better condition for the next years crop;
Thirdly. Mr.. Hensel lays before us the
formal evidence Of many cultivators ana
professional men In Germany who have
been using and watching the results OF
these manures for seven years. ana WHO
are more than satisfied with Mr.. Hensefs
system. Here is some OF their testimony:
II saw exceedingly significant results
from stone-dust on the field or Chlei'
Baiif Bonner, at Culmsee, In west
Preussen-i. O., excellent wheat. sowed
after barley and oats. with only five nun
dredweight Of stone-dust to the acre. also
splendid rye In fourth succession on hVe-
hundredwelght OF stone-dust. and sugar
beets following sugar-beets on merely SIX
and a half hundredweight TO the acre.
which promise a very good yield.
"a clover-feld OF which one half hau
been MANFRED with stable manure and
the other half with stone-meal showed
dense growth of clover on the latter halt
while the former half showed many
weeds. but hardly any clover. y cherry
tree and tree with Gravenstine apples
which for many years had yielded no
fruit worth speaking or this year, after
having been well supplied with stone
meal, are covered over and over with
fruit"
"a neighboring farmer told him. on
seeing his fine oats: Here we can see
clearly how your manure acts; the crop
could not stand better II you had put on
sixty carloads Of stable manure per acre,
which would cost 1925 to $50 per acre.
For five years ] have been using stone
meal manure In my garden and fields. Inc
results always have been satisfactory IN
every respect, for the soil becomes bet
| ter every year by using this manure.
| Especially this year, during the extraor-
| binary drouth. the excellent effects OF
stone-meal fully manifested themselves
| The flowers, as well as the different Vege-
| tables, developed so magnhcently that
every one who passed my garden stopped
| and admired the great growth"
Whether the Hensel or rock-dust sys-
TEN Of manuring will give as good or bet
| ter results here than In Germany remains
| 10 be proved. The results are not likely
10 be Identical, because the conditions arc
| different.
| 1t is certain. however that If the argu
ments OF this book are maintained. We are
at the beginning Of a revolution which
| will not be confined to any State or coun
| try.
| And no people on earth can be NOR IN
| terested in II than ourselves. To fertiliZ'
our impoverished lands we have sent Il
| the ends Of the earth. We have expended
| millions of dollars. and-we have Jus
| existed.
Mr.. Hensel comes to us ana says
| Gentlemen. II you please YOU may stoI
paying tribute TO New York and Soutl
| Carolina and Germany and increasing th'
| revenues OF the excellent Colonel North
of Chile. | can give you formulas. by
means OF which. using chiefly your gran
tie. which you must roast with your Goa
and pulveriZe with your water-power. yoi
can manufacture in Richmond fertilizer
| which are Indefinitely better than thos
| which you have been buying and payinl
| freight on"
OF course Il Is quite conceivable tina
| Mr.. Hensel may be mistaken. or that hi
arguments may not apply to the Virgins
soils and climate. That remains TO b
proved, and we are tn people who ha'
better set about the proving Of 1t. c.