The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-22

| affinity Sulphuric acid (oil of vitrtoD
! is mostly used for this purpose, and
| IL is now sold cheaper and good enough
/ for all farmers purposes. In the pro-
cess of adding sulphuric acid to the
! bones the stronger acid forces out the
phosphoric acid and takes its place.
| AS soon as il has driven off the phos-
phoric acid ii begins to seize on the
lime and combine with it. forming sui
phate of lime. In the first place, re-
member, we have in the bones a COM
bination called phosphate of lime
| which did not dissolve in water. By
the action of the sulphuric acid, how
ever. which has reduced the mass of
bones TO a fine, pulpy mass, we lave
two MISUNDERSTANDING of lime (com-
mon gypsum or plaster) and phos-
phoric acid. The phosphoric acid, be-
ing now free from the lime, and UNI
combined, ii soluble in water and in
proper condition to be applied to the
land ready for use of plants. and in
shape for manufacture into plant food.
No article of commercial fertilizer is
placed on the market without previous
ly ascertaining its proportion of phos-
phoric acid, nitrogen and potash, and
the farmer will get nothing cheap by
buying articles below the market
price, as every pound of potash phos-
phoric acid or ammonia can be sold
for fixed prices without asking the
farmer to buy them, and when any
dealer offers to sell a fertilizer con-
tanning these articles at less than the
market price he may be suspected of
selling inferior goods.
To return to the action of phosph0ric
acid. and note further what relation
it bears to the growth of the plant.
Phosphoric acid objects to remaining
in an uncombined condition. When
the free phosphoric acid reaches the
soil it Immediately seizes on all the
loose lime, potash or ammonia coming
in it's way. and again forms phosphates.
But in this case the particles are very
infinitely and finely divided, and the
plant compels it to yield up the acid
according TO it's need. In this condi-
ton the phosphoric acid is called re-
Verted-that is, it has been freed ana
rendered soluble. but has reverted to
its former condition in more 1nely
divided state by reason of its readily
forming compounds with other chemi-
calls. PHOSPHORUS unlike ammonia,
does not really volatile and fly away
from the manure heap, but it does,
sometimes, form gaseous compounds,
and among these are phosphurated
hydrogen, a compound of phosphorus
with hydrogen, but it can affect this
only in the presence of strong base,
for instance, lime.
the bones, but in the blood and flesh.
and in vegetables and their seeds. AS
ammonia seems to promote growthand
production in some plants, likewise do
the phosphates. Turnips. corn, wheat
oats, rye and potatoes would produce
nothing if the phosphate were not APP
piled or fund in the soil. Fruits reVeI
in the phosphates. Strawberries and
other small fruits can be made to yield
double by the application of the phos-
pilates and there is hardly known
plant that can thrive in a soil which
contains none of the phosphates.
The manure heap contains the phos-
pilates in not only the shape of phos-
phate of lime, but as phosphates of
soda, of potash, of ammonia and many
other compounds not necessary TO
particularize. In the heap nearly all
these compounds are soluble and ready
for use, owing to the chemical action
constantly taking place in it. Being
soluble, we see the Importance of pro-
tecting the heap from the drenchings
of heavy rains which wash out these
substances and occasion loss to the
farmer, unless he has partly protected
himself by putting some absorbent ma
terial in his heap,