FARMERS' REGISTER— LIME— GYPSUM— CELERY. 



603 



The general understanding of this result of the ex- 

 posure of lime, extends improperly to other substances 

 of vvhicli lime forms tlie base, as gypsum, which is 

 generally considered both by dealers in the article, and 

 by many farmers, to be altered and injured by long ex- 

 posure to air, if ground, and by rain, even in the un- 

 brolven stone. To determine whether there can be any 

 such effect we must attend to the chemical combina- 

 tion of gypsum, and its state before and after such kinds 

 of exjjosure. 



Gypsum in its natural state is composed of lime, sul- 

 phuric acids and water, the latter being as much a part 

 of the chemical combination as either of the other in- 

 gredients. The mutual attraction of the lime and sul- 

 phuric acid is so strong, that no separation can be pro- 

 duced by any thing that air or rain can jiresent. Neith- 

 er can gypsum be wasted, anymore than it can be de- 

 composed, by air alone, or by remaining dry in pow- 

 der. Water dissolves a very small proportion of gyp- 

 sum—about one-six hundredth part — and therefore it 

 will be slowly wasted by solution, if exposed to wet, 

 and the fluid be allowed to pass oiT. The mere wet- 

 ting, without the fluid sinking or flowing from the 

 mass, however tending to make the gypsum trouble- 

 some in using, cannot change its nature, nor affect its 

 i-alue as manure. From these premises it may be in- 

 ferred that the gypsum saved by our correspondent, is 

 not altered in its chemical character — nor injured, ex- 

 cept by being rendered more inconvenient to use — and 

 also in this respect, that the portion previously wasted 

 by the rains, was the part most finely pulverized, soft- 

 est, and therefore the most fit for immediate action as 

 manure. 



Exposing gypsum to moderate heat has no effect ex- 

 cept to drive off the water chemically combined, as 

 well as any accidental supply of uncombined mois- 

 ture. It would seem that merely the removal of its 

 water could scarcely aflect the action of the substance 

 as manure. We incline to this opinion — but would not 

 confidently assert that no injury can take place in this 

 manner. There is in this case a partial decomposition 

 of the substance — and slight as it is, it ma}' materially 

 affect that fertilizing power which is in every aspect so 

 mysterious and inexplicable. It is highly important 

 that it should be proved by sufficient experiments 

 whether a moderate degree of heat is injurious to the 

 value of gypsum — for if it is not, by using heat to 

 drive off the water chemically combined, the stone is 

 made much more soft, and easier to pulverize for use. 

 These explanations may be considered by many, 

 and even by our friend who has suggested Ihem by his 

 inquiries, as too simple and trite to deserve being thus 

 formally presented; and if so, our apology is, that ma- 

 ny who are most conversant practically with the sub- 

 ject, show by their course that even these feeble lights 

 might aid their deductions. 



There is no known reason, derived from the thcoiy 

 of its operation, why lime (whether caustic or mild) 

 should not act profitably on land not sufficiently drain- 

 ed, except in this respect, that improvements of every 

 kind must avail but little on soils suffering from redun- 

 dant moisture. As (o gypsum on such soils, we know 



nothing, except the generally received opinion that on 

 all wet land the application is unprofitable.] 



From the Horticultural Registct'. 

 OJT THE CULTIVATION OP CELERY. 



It appears to me that a few practical hints on 

 the cultivation of this useful and deli(^ious vegeta- 

 ble miglit prove interesting and serviceable to many 

 of your readers. I beg to premise that it is a mere 

 detail of the methods'I have practised this sum- 

 mer, by which I have raised celery in heads of 

 two and two and a half feet high, of which twelve 

 to eighteen inches are blanched and tender; they 

 are single heads, without offsets, and many four 

 and five inches in circun)ference. This method 

 has one convenience, which is, that the j'oung 

 plants are raised in the open ground, without gla-ss 

 or hot-bed. 



In the beginning of May, later or earlier, as the 

 season may indicate, dig and pulverise well about 

 six square feet of well manured and open ground — 

 water it very lightly, but thoroughly, with a nose 

 on the watering-potj early in the day, then sow 

 your seed and water again thoroughly in the same 

 way. Cover up this bed lightly with a double 

 la3'er of Russia mat, which should be dry, and 

 kept down at the corners with stones; the sun, 

 striking on the mats, penetrates them, and causes 

 a gentle moist heat to rise from tlie earth; this is 

 the most favorable state of an atmosjiherc for the 

 vegetation of seeds, and the celery, particularly if 

 not fresh, is very difficult on this point; the covers 

 should be maintained in as dry a state as possible, 

 (after heavy rains, the upper mat might be 

 changed,) because, if wet, considerable evapora- 

 tion takes place in the night, which is always pro- 

 ductive of cold, and would be apt to rot the tender 

 shoot just piercing the seed; on the other hand, if 

 dry, it prevents the escape of heat when the sun's 

 rays have left the earth, and retains underneath 

 sufficient warmth to prevent any check in the ve- 

 getation; in a fortnight or three weeks, according 

 to the season, little yellow and white sprouts will 

 appear; when these are one-quarter of an inch 

 high, the upper cover should be removed, that 

 there maj- not be too much weight on the young 

 plants, and if the weather continues mild, in a few 

 days afterwards, remove the other. If well wa- 

 tered in the beginning, it will scarcely need any 

 further moisture during the first process; but those 

 ivho practise this method will hardly be restrained 

 from peeping under the mats once or twice during 

 the fortnight, when, if sultry weather has prevail- 

 ed, there own judgement will guide them on this 

 head. 



The second part of the method is to have an- 

 other piece of gfound, double the size of the for- 

 mer, prepared in the same way, and when the 

 young plants are in their fourth leaf, or about two 

 inches high, take them up and transplant them 

 carefully into this fresh bed, about one inch asun- 

 der, first trimming the roots a little. 



If well watered and weeded, by the first of July 

 they Avill have attained sufficient growth to be re- 

 moved into trenches, which should be prepared in 

 an open, well exposed spot, by digging them two 

 spades deep and two and a half feet wide, leaving 

 three or four feet distance between the trenches; 

 on this space is to be piled up, like a bank, th« 



