GYPSUM OE PLASTER OF PAEIS. 



BY LEVI BARTLETT. 



It has lon^ been well known, that, on some sdIIs, gypsum 

 has a most beneficial action on clover, and some other 

 plants, when scattered broadcast over the land, at the rate 

 of one or two bushels per acre ; and that the small amount 

 of a teaspoonful per hill, applied at the time of planting 

 the seed, has frequently very much increased the crop ; and 

 it is as well known, that its use on some soils, either in 

 large or small doses, exhibits no visible efiect upon the va- 

 rious crops cultivated upon them. Various theories have, 

 been advanced by scientific writers, as well as by practical 

 farmers, to account for these dissimilar results in the use 

 of plaster for manurial purposes. But we shall not here 

 go into an examination of the discordant theories that have 

 from time to time, been put forth by the learned, or unlearn- 

 ed upon the frequent favorable or unfavorable action of gyp- 

 sum on different soils, and crops, but will give the supposed 

 results of a free use of plaster on our farm for a few years 

 past. 



Some fifteen years ago, we came into possession of the 

 farm we now occupy; being short of manure, we made use 

 plaster on our corn, potatoes and other crops, without per- 

 ceiving any very marked effects from its use, and after two 

 or three years trial, with it, we came to the conclusion that 

 the soil of our farm did not need gypsum, and we gave up 

 the use of it. But some five years ago, we thought there 

 might be some benefit derived from the use of plaster, when 

 daily strewn over our hovel floor, during the winter season, 



