SS ee eS 
108 On Plaister of Paris. 
As our practical results and opinions, differ with the ac- 
count of the gypsum, given in the “ outlines of a proposed. 
general report from the (British) board o! agriculture, on 
thie subject of manures ; printed last year in London, and 
transmitted here by Sir Fohn Sinclair, 1 think it best to 
publish that account. It is the most recent, I have seen trom 
England, on that subject. In the same report, there is a de- 
tail of experiments by a Mr. Smythe, of Kent, too long to 
insert here ; but very favourable to plaister, on sainfoin and 
clover. By this it appears, that they are little advanced in 
the knowledge of the uses oi plaister, though a desire to use 
it begins to increase among their iarmers ; who, like most of 
those of all countries, will not believe till they see. Mr. 
Smythe’s experiments were on light loams, and poor calca- 
reous soils ; the chalky soils particularly. A friend of his tried 
it on clay, and tailed. Nor had it effect, with him, on grass ; 
I suppose he means, other than sainfoin or clover. Nor 
on corn, or turnips. Wheat is there called corn. 
GYPSUM. 
“THIS article has hitherto been little used in- 
Britain, as a manure, and, in the instances where it 
has been employed, the accounts of its value are very 
contradictory ; in some cases it has been represented 
as producing astonishing effects ; in others no Visible - 
advantage has been derived from it, and in several 
instances it has done mischief.* Before we enter into 
any discussion upon the subject, it will be necessary to 
state, that gypsum consists of a mineral acid, joined 
* I wish it had been mentioned what “‘mischief ?” I never 
knew it to do harm, even where it did no good. 
K.P. 
November 1810. 
