OF AGRICULTURE. 221 



water, so as to thoroughly wet them. Then pour in 

 carefully, thirty-three pounds of acid, stir the mess 

 with a wooden shovel until the acid comes in contact 

 with all the bones ; cover up and let it stand twenty- 

 four hours. Then give the second dose of thirty- three 

 pounds of acid, stirring the mess well ; cover up the 

 hogshead and let it stand for ten or twelve days, 

 when you will find the bones dissolved. 



Second method without acid. Take broken bones 

 the smaller the better place them in a hogshead 

 or barrel in a layer of six inches, then a layer of 

 hard- wood ashes, mixed with one- tenth of its bulk of 

 slacked lime, so as to fill the spaces between the 

 bones, and cover them; proceed in the same way, 

 until the barrel is nearly full. Then pour in boiling- 

 hot water enough to wet the whole mess, cover up 

 and let it stand for from thirty to forty days, taking 

 care that the lye does not leak out, but remains 

 standing over the ashes. This preparation will not 

 act as quickly on vegetation as that prepared with 

 the acid, but will answer a very good purpose. 



Third method. If the bones be ground fine, by 

 using a larger proportion of acid, say eighty- six and 

 one- third pounds to the one hundred pounds of bones, 

 a superphosphate will be formed, which will act very 

 quickly, and have almost the same effect as the best 

 Peruvian guano. 



Fourth method. If the bones be ground to a fine 

 meal, by using a smaller portion of acid, say twenty - 

 eight pounds to one hundred pounds of meal, a 

 superphosphate will bo formed, which will act more 

 slowly, but last longer than the above, 



