214 WALL'S MANUAL 



The soils upon which plaster has the most marked 

 effect, are those of a light, dry and sandy nature. It 

 is used principally on grass and clover crops, with 

 great success, one bushel of plaster often doubling 

 the crop. But in order that such a simple substance 

 as gypsum, should be of benefit, the soil must possess 

 all the other ingredients necessary for a crop. Take 

 clover, for an illustration. This plant requires fourteen 

 substances to perfect its growth, if only one of these 

 substances be missing, as potash, for instance, the 

 other ingredients would be of little, or no avail. 



On land exhausted by over- cropping, which con- 

 tains very little vegetable matter, plaster will be of 

 no service, but will do good after an application of 

 barn-yard manure, or the plowing under of a green 

 crop. Plaster may be applied to grass lands by 

 sowing it broad- cast, at the rate of one to two bushels 

 per acre ; it may be applied in the hill to beans, peas, 

 or corn, at the time of planting, or dropped upon 

 them just after they are up. The best time for 

 applying plaster, is in the morning or evening, when 

 the dew is upon the plant, or on a damp, cloudy day. 



When sown with grain, the ordinary dose is equal 

 in bulk, to that of the grain, say two hundred pounds 

 to the acre, but to crops of potatoes and corn, as 

 much as three or four bushels have been applied, 

 Used in a compost with dung, or combined with 

 other manures, such as guano, it has a marked effect 

 upon turnips. If plaster is sprinkled over barn- 

 yard or stable manure, it hastens decomposition, and 

 at the same time fixes the ammonia, so that it cannot 

 escape into the air and be lost. 



