1336.] 



F A R M ERS' REGISTER 



597 



which are thus rendered capable of extracting 

 nourishment, from the substances in which they 

 are placed, and from the surrounding atmosphere. 

 These are acquisitions, the power of obtaining 

 which, sickly or stunted plants do not possess. By 

 the same healthy nourishment, obtained in small 

 quantities during the progress of their growth, the 

 plants are kept in a constant slate of improve- 

 ment. They are thus enabled to absorb the sur- 

 rounding organic matter, to increase in size, and 

 ultimately to reach their full weight, and utmost 

 perfection.* 



4. On the soils for which bone, manure is adopt- 

 ed. — On light dry soils, bone manure is peculiarly 

 applicable, and it. has likewise been found highly 

 advantageous on peat. From 15 to 20 bushels of 

 bone-dust per statute acre, when drilled, have 

 feeen found to surpass, both on light soils, and on 

 peat, the ordinary dressing of farm-yard dung, 

 and even to exceed pigeons' 1 dung and lime in 

 producing fertility. In wet stiff land on the other 

 hand, the nutritive part of the bones is apt to re- 

 main on the surface, and does not so readily mix 

 with the soil as in ground of a freer quality. If 

 previously mixed however, with other manure in 

 compost, it might he advantageously applied, to 

 every species of soil, whether wet or dry, and per- 

 haps, in many cases, might render fallows unne- 

 cessary. 



5. On compost? with bone. — It is a circumstance 

 that seems to be well ascertained, and the prac- 

 tice is strongly recommended by the Doncaster 

 Association,! that a compost of bones, with duns, 

 or other substances, is superior to bones used sing- 

 ly. Various substances have been employed for 

 that purpose, as six loads of farm-yard manure, to 

 ten bushels of bone-dust — a quantity of ashes 

 from house fires moistened with urine — five loads 

 of burnt clay, or good earth, mixed with fifty 

 bushels of bones — a compost of soot, rape-dust, 

 red ashes from burnt weeds, &c. 



This circumstance merits particular attention, 

 for bones in wet weather do not act, whereas if' 

 composts are applied with bones, some of the ar- 

 ticles employed will operate; and when the land 

 becomes dry, the bones will probably take effect, 

 and the crop will hardly fail in any season. When 

 employed in compost also, the manure may be 

 more equally spread, and more confidently relied 

 on. 



Captain Barclay uses a mixture of bone-dust, 

 and farm-yard manure, in the proportion of ten 

 loads of farm-yard manure, to fifteen bushels of 

 bone-dust per Scotch acre. He puts the land in 

 ridges in the usual style, with the dung in the cen- 

 tre, and the bone dust is sown with the turnip 

 seed, by a drill-machine. Under this excellent 

 system, his crops are never injured by the fly. It 

 is important however, that the dung'shoulrl be two 

 years old, as it will be less likely lo be infested 

 with insects. 



Others recommend a dressing of eight cubic 

 yards of ashes, and twenty bushels of crushed 

 bones per acre, applying them separately. The 

 ashes would first operate, and the bones would 

 complete the production. 



6. On the various modes of preparing bones. — 



* Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, p. 52. 

 t Rpport, p. 20. 



Mr. St. Leger, who originally pointed out the ad- 

 bone manure, was accustomed to mix 

 a cart load of ashes, with thirty to forty bushels of 

 bones. After they had been heated for about 

 twenty-four hours, and begun to smoke, the whole 

 heap was turned, and about ten days after it be- 

 came ft for use. Others have found, that cover- 

 ing bones with quicklime, is an excellent mode of 

 preparing them for use. As soon as the lime be- 

 comes effete the bones are picked out, and though 

 retaining their form, they are easily reduced to 

 powder by a hammer, and in that state, they may 

 be thinly spread by hand, or by a machine.* 



Dr. Fenwick cf Durham, an eminent agricul- 

 turist, has suggested to the author, the adoption of 

 the following plan: — where there is no mill to 

 crush bones within a reasonable distance, after 

 chopping the bones, he recommends spreading 

 them between two layers of earth, near a pond, or 

 other supply of water, and to let ihe heap thus 

 formed, be kept moist, by occasionally sprinkling it, 

 till the manure be wanted. Fresh soils, thus 

 mixed with bones, and watered, will heat as a 

 dunghill and the bones will be rendered so tender 

 by the process, that they are quickly dissolved.. 

 As the whole substance is thus sooner applied to 

 the plants, a smaller quantity at a time will suffice, 

 and thus the first outlay will be diminished. The 

 bones wanted for turnip manure, may be thus pre- 

 pared, even some months before they are want- 

 ed. 



But the general mode of preparing bones for 

 use, is by crushing them. Bone mills, for that 

 purpose, erected at an expense of from £100 to 

 £200, are very common in the northern parts of 

 England. They are chiefly in the hands of per- 

 sons who make a trade of it. They are mostly 

 driven by steam engines of from eight to sixteen 

 horse power. Some machines however, are dri- 

 ven by water, and some by horses; but it requires 

 three relays, of two horses each, to reduce eighty 

 bushels of rough bones per day: and farm horses 

 have so much to do, in carrying on the operations 

 of the farm, that, they have work enough, without 

 being employed in crushing bones. It is better 

 re, that this process should be undertaken 

 by a separate profession. 



7. On the proper size of bone manure for quick 

 profit. — A decided preference is given to bones 

 broken small, and they are frequently reduced to 

 powder of the size of saw dust. Indeed, the 

 more they are divided the more powerful are. their 

 effects. But if it is desired to keep the land in 

 good heart, the size should be about half an 

 inch. 



When the bones are broken to a small size like 

 dust, twenty-five bushels per statute acre are suffi- 

 cient, but forty bushels are required, if the size of 

 the bones is from half an inch lo an inch. 



8. On fermenting bones. — It can hardly be 

 doubted, that fermentation is necessary to a spee- 

 dy benefit from bone manure, for when unfemient- 

 ed, though laid on at the rate of even eighty 

 bushels per statute acre, they have at first little ef- 

 fect on (lie soil. Hence it is that bones, though in 

 consequence of their being boiled or stewed, and 

 passing through an oil or glue manufactory, have 



* Oyster shells have been advantageously treated in 

 the same way, and have proved fully equal to bone- 

 dust. 



