ISSd:.] QUESTIONS. 289 



ing largely upon the bone. We have taken poor, worn-out 

 land, apparently, some of which was so poor that it did not 

 produce five bushels of rye to the acre, and built it up into 

 very productive land for a fruit garden, wholly upon raw, 

 ground bone and muriate of potash. 



The Chairman. What quantity do you use to an acre ? 



Mr. Hale. We use more, perhaps, than would pay for 

 ordinary farm crops. We have used 1,000, 1,200, and even 

 1,500 pounds to the acre of bone alone, and as high as 500 

 pounds of potash. 



Mr. A. J. Whittlesey. I would like to ask Mr. Hale, 

 whether he used the dry bone or the wet ? 



Mr. Hale. For a number of years we used fine-ground, 

 raw bone, dry, perhaps twenty per cent., as fine as flour, the 

 balance coarser grades. For the last three years, we have 

 been using very fine bone, which we obtain from Rogers & 

 Co., at Meriden, and which costs twenty-five dollars a ton. 

 This is more readily available than coarser bone, and we have 

 found it very satisfactory indeed. 



Mr. Augur. We have used the same article to which Mr. 

 Hale alludes. There is considerable moisture in it some- 

 times, but often it gets reasonably dry, we have used it on 

 our peach orchards, considerably, and we think favorably of 

 it. I do not know that we have used it quite as largely as 

 Mr. Hale. I should say from six to eight hundred pounds to 

 the acre, perhaps every other year. 



Mr. Webster. Is this sowed on the surface or plowed 

 under? 



Mr. Augur. We have usually sowed it broadcast and 

 cultivated it in. 



Mr. Sedgwick. I would like to say, in connection with 

 Mr. Hale's remark, that if farmers can buy fine-ground bone 

 for twenty-five dollars a ton, they better run in debt and buy 

 all they can get. It is the cheapest fertilizer at that price 

 that I know of. 



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