220 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



purpose of putting it on their farms. I have heard a great 

 many complain that the land was injured because they did 

 not know how to fix it for the farm. That I think is the 

 point of the inquiry. I would like to hear the Professor upon 

 that point. 



Mr. Sedgwick. I would say, in that connection, that a 

 farmer would probably get the best results in using that ma- 

 terial by extending it with five or six times its bulk of earth. 

 It is in too concentrated a form to be applied as it is obtained 

 from the slaughter house. 



Question. Is insoluble phosphoric acid of any value as a 

 fertilizer ? 



Prof. Brewer. So long as it remains insoluble, no. Most 

 forms of phosphoric acid are very slightly soluble, decompose 

 slowly; some of tliem very slowly indeed; and there is noth- 

 ing of value as a fertilizer, in the popular sense of that word, 

 that is insoluble. No solid goes into a plant as nourishment. 

 It nuist go into it in the form of liquid or gas. 



Question. Are Colorado beetles killed by eating Paris 

 green or by its external application ? 



Mr. Gold. I suppose that they eat it. Does any one dif- 

 fer from me in that opinion ? 



Question. Will lightning rods properly constructed and 

 put up afford protection to buildings ? 



Mr. Plumb, of Trumbull. I do not think they are reliable. 

 I knew of a house in my neighborhood that was apparently 

 well protected by rods, and it was struck by lightning, and 

 the lightning left the rod and went into the house, and did 

 considerable damage. I made up my mind that lightning- 

 rods were no safeguards against lightning, however they 

 might be put up. 



Mr. . The insurance agents tell me that they will 



insure buildings without liglitning rods at the same rate that 

 they do buildings with lightning rods. 



Prof. Brewer. That does not apply to ships. I believe 

 that when lightning rods are well put up they afford protec- 

 tion against lightning. They very frequently are not well put 



