78 



to be of immediate value, must be ground fiue ; but this with " raw 

 bones" is a very difflcult process. Bones subjected to the action of high 

 steam lose all their oil, and a large portion of the gelatine which so ob- 

 structs the grinding, and thus become brittle, and quite easily ground 

 on a common mill. The same end can be reached more directly by burn- 

 ing the bones, the waste being merely the animal matter contained in 

 them. The phosphate of lime- is unaffected by either steaming or 

 burning. 



The mineral part of the bones, thus separated, wilf be found to con- 

 sist substantially of 45 per cent, of phosphoric acid and 55 of lime. This 

 compound is insoluble in pure water, and but very sparingly soluble in 

 rain-water charged with carbonic acid. If wp take this "bone phos- 

 phate" and add to it a little more than half i£s weight of sulphuric acid, 

 (commercial oil of vitriol,) we will in a few days produce a new com- 

 pound, in which the sulphuric acid has removed two-thirds of the lime 

 from the bones, combining with it to form gypsum, supplying the place 

 of the lime thus removed with water. This is a true soluble superphos- 

 phate. Its elements are — 



Phosphoric acid 60.69 



Lime (calcium) 23.93 



Water - 15.38 



100.00 



This mass will be found very tenacious, and somewhat difficult to 

 handle. To remedy this it should be mixed, in sufficient quantities to 

 render it dry, with some good absorbent, such as dry swamp-muck re- 

 duced to a i^owder, or with ground charcoal, or even with road-dust. 

 Lime or ashes should never be used for this purpose. 



Several farmers can co-operate in the construction of a mill, and thus 

 produce the bone-meal which they use at prime cost. From this they 

 can make their own superphosphate, and use it either by itself or mixed 

 with composted manure. 



But bones may be reduced to a very fine state of division by the use 

 of strong wood-ashes, and thus, presenting a large surface to the solvent 

 action of water and carbonic acid in the soil, may be of great value in 

 maintaining fertility. We suggest the following formula for using bones 

 with ashes : 



Ground bones. • 100 pounds. 



Strong wood-ashes 400 pounds. 



Soda saltpeter 70 pounds. 



Epsom salts 10 pounds. 



Dissolve the soda saltpeter and epsom salts in sufficient water to thor- 

 oughly moisten the ashes and bone-meal. Mix well, and let it stand ten 

 days, stirring it fiaily. Use some absorbent, such as dry muck pulver- 

 ized, to dry the mass and reduce it to powder. 



German potash (150 pounds) may be substituted for the ashes, in 

 whole or in i)art. This amount used 'on an acre will have a marked 

 effect on the crop. 



German potash. — Potash being so important an element of fertility 

 in the soil, and in several varieties of the soil being the point where ex- 

 haustion first shows itself, many intelligent farmers are anxious to 

 know more about the probable sources of supply from which their fields 

 in future are to be furnished with this indispensable element of nearly 



