SUPERPHOSPHATE OF LIME. 173 



witli two g-rains, long- in the g-rain, bent at some distance 

 from tlie grains nearly at rig-lit ang-les, and fixed in a wooden 

 handle. On tlie same day a fresli lot of bones may be added, 

 and the process repeated until the hog-shead is nearly full. 

 In two days afterwards the mixture may be shovelled into a 

 Leap, and either remain till wanted, or mixed at once with a 

 certain portion of ashes. It should be shovelled over several 

 times, and ashes added at each time of turning-, which will 

 thus render the mixture fine and dry enough to pass throug-li 

 an ordinary drill. 



It must be evident that much of the value and economy 

 of the manure depends on it being- perfectly mixed, so that 

 every particle of bone should be exposed to the action of the 

 acid. In mam' cases I have no doubt this has not been 

 sufficiently attended to, and the result has been either that 

 more acid has been used than is really required, or that 

 miuch of the advantageous efiect has been lost. 



Bv the method which I have here recommended, and 

 which I have adopted after many trials, the mixture can be 

 readily and accurately manufactured, and with perfect safety 

 to the attendants. 1 



5. Effect of various c^uantities applied in combination or 

 comparison with common bones and other known manures. 



My own experience of the advantag-es of sulphated bones 

 commenced in the very dry summer of 1844. Wishing- to 

 try their effects, and thinking- that it was hig-hly desirable to 

 apply them as a compost by means of a drill (though I had 

 not heard of any instances in which they had been so used), 

 I resolved to make the attempt. I intended to a])ply the 

 bones at the rate of 3-| bushels per acre, and half their 

 weig-ht of acid ; but from not making- sufficient allowance for 

 the dampness of the manure, it extended over a large jiortion 

 of land, so that little more than 2 bushels per acre were used 

 ■with about 16 bushels of ashes. On the same day (in the 

 early part of July) other portions of the field were drilled 

 with bone-dust at the rate of 1(3 bushels per acre, and some 

 parts with South American guano. The bones and acid 

 (Swedes) were the first to appear, and their tops grew most 

 luxuriantly. The turnips suffered from not being- hoed till 



' In manufacturing a considerable quantity of the mixture to meet a 

 large demand for the present season (184G), I have found much advantage 

 from constructing various utensils of different shapes, so as to perfect the 

 mixture without inconvenience to the attendants, as well as from other 

 improvements in the manipulative process. — Author. 



