1835.J 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



569 



in this time, to wit, twice with farm-yard dung, 

 and twice with the remains of sugar, at the rate 

 of four hectolitres to the hectare. This land now 

 yields a high rent. 



The effect of the remains of sugar does not 

 last but two years; and there are soils on which it 

 scarcely acts as long as the second year — but then 

 it is strengthened by a half manuring from the 

 farm-yard, and again will produce heavy harvests 

 of corn, or other exhausting crops. The remains 

 of sugar is the manure to be preferred for all cab- 

 bage-turnips, &c. It produces a very good effect 

 upon cold and moist meadows; but it must not be 

 spread there until spring, after they have been 

 made dry. 



The refineries of Belgium, Holland, the north 

 of Germany, and even of Russia, send their re- 

 mains, in great quantity, to Nantes, where they 

 find a suitable depot. They are in much demand, 

 sell at high prices, and their use is still extending 

 upon the banks of the Loire, and even in the in- 

 terior of La Vendee. 



Animalized charcoal [noir animalise .~\ 



The following article in relation to the precious 

 discovery of Messieurs, Salmon and Payen, is 

 communicated to us by one of the men of science 

 whom France most honors. 



It is seldom that the world entertains a just idea 

 of the discoveries which daily enrich the physical 

 and chemical sciences. It is generally considered 

 that a fact, of which there is no immediate appli- 

 cation to the arts, ought to be put away among 

 the archives of science, where adept? alone will 

 go to search for it. But however little we may 

 carry back our recollections to time past, a crowd 

 of examples will naturally present themselves to 

 correct ideas, and to replace such new facts in 

 their proper rank. When we see that the discov- 

 ery of the new world is due to the simple obser- 

 vation of the direction that a magnetized needle 

 takes, when freely suspended on a pivot — and that 

 the art of war is totally changed by the use of 

 gunpowder, of which the discovery long preceded 

 its application — we must be convinced that no 

 new observation, however of little interest it may 

 appear at first, ought to be neglected — for, soon 

 or late, there may result from it useful applications. 

 The benefit that has been derived latterly, from 

 certain long known physical properties of charcoal, 

 to form excellent manure, and to disinfect larger 

 masses of organic and putrefying substances, 

 comes to the support of the considerations which 

 we have presented. 



All substances are called manures, which when 

 applied to the earth, serve for the nutrition of ve- 

 getables.* Manures are composed usually, of car- 

 bon in various states, of azotic matters, and of salts 

 which act often upon plants as stimulants. In gen- 

 eral, all organic matters are manures, more or less 

 good, according to their nature, and according to the 



*The reader of the translation of the Essay on Lime, 

 may remember what was stated of the difference of 

 meaning in the term manure, as used in French, and 

 in English. (See Note, p. 360 vol. 3.) Ed. Farm- 

 Reg. 



Vol. Ill— 72 



greater or less facility with which they yield their 

 constituent parts to vegetation. We distinguish 

 three kinds of manures, which have each their 

 characteristic properties. These are — animal ma- 

 nures, composed of animal remains — vegetable 

 manures, the name of which indicates their com- 

 position — and mixed manures, formed of any pro- 

 portions of both the preceding mingled together. 

 The first kind, without dispute, is that which most 

 promotes the developement of vegetation. Also, 

 if we seek the means of' presenting animal matter 

 in the most proper state, they will be found in re- 

 tarding as much as possible the quick decomposi- 

 tion which would naturally take place. 



We shall occupy ourselves, only, in this article, 

 with the manure known in agriculture, for some 

 years, under the name of animalized charcoal. 

 Before making known its composition, and the ad- 

 vantages which may be derived from it, we will 

 recall certain physical properties, which different 

 charcoals, and all porous substances in general, 

 possess: the reader will then the better understand 

 the procedure in use, the patent invention \brevete] 

 for preparing animalized charcoal. Charcoal pos- 

 sesses two very remarkable qualities, from which 

 the arts have derived great benefit. It precipitates 

 divers substances from a state of solution, by com- 

 bining with them — and it absorbs in its pores con- 

 siderable quantities of all the gases. To acquire 

 for it the precipitating property, it is necessary 

 that the charcoal should be burnt in close vessels. 

 The kind which acts with most efficacy, is that 

 which is obtained from animal matters, such as 

 dried blood, hair, bones, &c. calcined with a chem- 

 ical action proper to prepare the substances to be 

 very minutely divided, when mechanical means 

 are applied for that purpose. Charcoal thus pre- 

 pared acts only on substances of organic origin, 

 particularly upon such as are colored and odorous. 

 It. serves, as is known, to take away the color from 

 red wines, and shops, and to remove the fetid odor 

 of bodies in a state of putrefaction, to render cor- 

 rupted water potable, and to preserve fresh water 

 at sea, by keeping it in casks charred on the insides. 

 They also use, with success, pulverized charcoal 

 to preserve animal substances for many months, 

 in close vessels. 



Messieurs. Burry and Payen have found that 

 all organized bodies of animal origin do nor furnish 

 charcoals possessing the same degree of precipita- 

 ting power. The charcoal (or black) of ivory is 

 that which has this power ,'n the lowest degree, 

 while the charcoal of blood is that which occupies 

 the first rank, if its state of division is brought to 

 the useful point. 



The property of absorbing and condensing 

 gases belongs not only to charcoal of animal 

 origin, but also to that of wood; and in general, of 

 all porous bodies: but for that end, it is necessary 

 that these bodies should have been in the first 

 place deprived of humidity. 



We know not yet what is precisely the action 

 of charcoal on vegetation, whether as alimentary 

 manure [engrais~\ or an improver of soil [amende- 

 ment.} Rum ford has proved, it is true, that it can 

 unite with oxygen, and form carbonic acid below 

 the temperature at which the combustion of this 

 substance commences visibly; and this fact would 

 tend to explain why the spots in forests, where 

 charcoal has been made, become fertile in after 

 time. As an improver of soil, this substance haa 



