SUPERPHOSPHATE OF LIME. 179 



its later gTowtli. For the same reason vitriolized bones may 

 be advantageously combined with g'uano. 



8. That vitriolized bones are equally advantageous to the 

 second year's crop, when the turnips are either wholly or 

 partially fed off with sheep. 



9. That while the economy of this manure is thus proved 

 by practice, it can be as readily explained by theor}^, e. (]., 

 — The tops of Swedes are known to possess double the phos- 

 phoric acid contained in the bulbs. Thus the superphos- 

 phate of lime in the manure causes the rapid development of 

 the leaves — one of its peculiar properties. The leaves being- 

 thus early and largely developed, are enabled to extract a 

 considerable portion of nourishment from the atmosphere, 

 much more, indeed, than where the leaves are small and 

 backward. The diiference between the amount of food 

 derived from the atmosphere by a forward and flourishing- 

 crop, and that obtained by a backward and dwarfish crop, is 

 so much absolute gain to the former, or rather to the land. 

 It costs nothing on the one hand, but yields considerably to 

 the land if the crop is fed off on the other. A manure that 

 would thus force on the turnip in the early stages of its 

 g-rowth, was long felt to be a desideratum by agricidturists. 

 This want has now been supplied ; and even if this were the 

 only recommendation sulphated bones possessed, its discovery 

 and introduction would still be a boon. 



Last!}'. The value of vitriolized bone may now be con- 

 sidered to be fully and fairl}^ established. Its claims rest 

 not on the assertions of a few experimenters. It has been 

 tried during the last season by hundreds with success, and in 

 the next it will be tried by thousands. It affords, in fact, a 

 triumphant answer to the question — What has science 

 done for agriculture 1 



Southampton, 2Uh Feb. 1846. 



*^* The preparation of bones for turnips, as described by Mr. Pusey 

 (being heated with ashes), and other substances, has been long practised 

 ■with success ; and this preparation causes a softening of tlie substance so 

 much that the smaller parts become immediately proper for the food of 



plants. J. KiMBERLEY. 



Jour, of the R.A.S.E., vol. vii. part 1. 



N 2 



