662 



FARMERS' REGISTER— PREPARING BONE MANURE. 



As to the diseases which aflect veo:etating cot- 

 ton or tobacco, I have had no opportunity for ob- 

 servation, batthe "blackspongy Ibrniation," some- 

 times to be found in the ear of com, which "Me- 

 dico" alludes to as being also the effect of a f^ow of 

 juices, is so mucl^like the disease in wheat and 

 other small grains, called "smut, or dust brand," 

 and clearly proved by JNIr. Bauer to be caused by 

 the seed "of the urcdo segetam, that I have no 

 doubt this disease in corn originates in the same 

 ■vvay — and that the "black spongy appearance" 

 is also a mass of fungi. There is one peculiarity 

 which I have observed on the stalks of corn af- 

 fected by this disease — which is, that the leaves, 

 though they maintain their general color, show 

 evident symptoms of disease. They will in most 

 cases, be tbundto have become shrivelled in many 

 places, which I think, indicates the existence of 

 some substance, propelled through the coarser or- 

 gans for the ascent of the sap — and which meets 

 with some resistance in the finer organs of the 

 elaborating portion of the plant, as no external 

 injury is discernible. 



The remedy pointed out by "Medico," is one, 

 even allowing his theory to be true, which I be- 

 lieve few farmers would be willing to adopt: the 

 air in this case would be much more injurious to 

 the farmers' interest than the disease itself The 

 experiments of Mr. Bauer fully prove, that to 

 steep seed grain in hme-water for a proper length 

 of time (twel\"e hours,) eiiectually destroys the 

 seeds of Jhese minute fungi, and I have no doubt 

 would also prevent rust. Washing seed grain in 

 lime-water, has long been the practice of many 

 farmers; but not being allowed to steep for any 

 length of tune, the benefit as might be anticipa- 

 ted, was very partial. If soils containing the 

 seeds of these flingi were manured with lime in 

 addition to steeping, the seed in its solution, an ad- 

 ditional benefit might be derived. 



I hope that "Medico" will attribute the above 

 remarks to the existence of the same feeling which 

 I consider as' having prompted his — a sincere 

 desire to promote the best interests of agriculture, 

 whose prosperity is the bulwark ol' any nation. It 

 must be gratifying to every practical agriculturist 

 to observe, that men filling influential and learned 

 professions in society, and who, from their general 

 education and scientific acquirements, are well 

 qualified to aid them in the more scientific, but not 

 less necessary part of their proff-ssion, come for- 

 ward and present such investigations, Avith that 

 object in view. There is yet room for many 

 Obcrllns. 



[We are much gratified in being enabled to present 

 the following information from a very intelligent and 

 practical farmer of Pennsylvania. Several previous 

 efforts to learn what means were used to crush or grind 

 bones, which had been requested by correspondents, 

 had been made without success. It will be seen from 

 Dr. Gibbon's letter, that bones very coarsely broken 

 serve well — and that without any mill, or machinery, 

 other than heavy hammers, or old axes, bones may be 

 prepared on every farm for use. Every farmer in the 

 country may then make a limited use of this very rich 

 manure — and some near towns, ma)-^ obtain considera- 

 ble quantities where the carcasses of dead animals 



are thrown, and from various other sources still more 

 abundant. 



The mill described below as serving for crushing 

 bones, and also for corn with the cobs, may be ob- 

 tained for about $60. Such a one, (worked by two 

 horses) is used both for crushing corn and gypsum, by 

 George E. Harrison, of Brandon.] 



ON THE MANNER OF PREPARING AND AP- 

 PLYING BONE MANURE. 



To tlic Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Petersburg, Va., January 16th, 1S35. 



You inform me you wish to know something 

 of the mode of breakmg or crushing bones, so 

 that they may be applied to the purposes of ag- 

 riculture; and of the general method of using them 

 on the land. I can offer you some details with 

 respect to this important manure, as it is much 

 used in a certain part of the county of Philadel- 

 phia. 



The first purchase I made, was from a man 

 who had been induced by some reading farmer 

 to grind up the coarse knuckle bones and offal slips, 

 the refuse of the button makers, in a machine 

 worked by two horses, and formed very much like 

 a large coffee mill — which was afterwards em- 

 ploj-ed to grind Indian corn, with the cobs, for 

 liorse feed. I have seen another kind, something 

 like a cider mill, (but attached to a water-power) 

 with horizontal iron notched rollers, which I un- 

 derstood was similar to those generally used for 

 the same purpose in England, where there are 

 bone mills in all the principal agricultural districts, 

 supplied from the continent with large quantities 

 of "raw material," gathered from the battle fields 

 of Europe. The trade in bones was thought so 

 important some years ago, that an objection was 

 made in the British House of Lords, to the num- 

 ber of foreign vessels engaged in this active com- 

 merce. It may be well to state, that our ability 

 to obtain a large quantity of bones lor manure in 

 the neighborhood of Philadelphia, depends very 

 much upon different manufactories established 

 there for making buttons, toolh brushes, umbrella 

 and cane handles, &c. &c.,Avhich have ver3-much 

 increased since the duty of 33 J- per cent. uj)on the 

 importation of these articles li'om abroad — which 

 creating a demand for the large round bones of 

 the shoulders and thighs of cattle, has caused a 

 great advance in their value here. These bones 

 rose irom 6 dollars to 24 and 30 dollars per thous- 

 and bones: the leg bones being smaller, are sold 

 for lower rates. I know an enterprising manufac- 

 turer in our county, who made a very handsome 

 profit by picking up a large quantity of bones, 

 suited to his purpose, near several of the towns in 

 Virginia, where cattle are slaughtered and salted 

 tor the shipping — although he had them barrelled, 

 and paid the same ireiglit as for flour, transporting 

 them in the steam boat. 



I recollect one large establishment for making 

 buttons, in whicli the machinery was worked by 

 steam, and a number of hands were employed, 

 wlicre tlie refuse, or offal bones, amounted to three 

 cart loads in a week. The large ends were cut off 

 by circular saws, which also divided the barrel of 

 the bones into thin slips, out of which the buttons 

 were cut. I contracted to ])urchase all the offal 

 bones, and bone dust formed by the saws, at 

 igl '25 per cart load, and had several thousand bush- 



