1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



387 



trees were affected we think more or less through 

 the country. Many of them died out entirely, 

 while others recruited again the next season. 1 

 think some nine or ten years ago, also, they were 

 affected in this section, in the same way. Wheth- 

 er the disease this season appears in other sec- 

 tions, we know not as yet. 



Yours, &c., L. DuRAXD. 



June 21, 1855. 



GAS WATEE FOR MANURE. 



The lime used in purifying gas, and which is 

 known by the appellation of "foul lime," is now 

 extensively used as a fertilizing agent, and with 

 excellent success, on most field crops. The gas wa- 

 ter, another waste or refuse article produced in 

 the process of manufacturing gas, is also an ex- 

 cellent fertilizer, but should be used with great 

 caution. It is an ammoniacal liquor, and if ap- 

 plied to a surface in grass, will apparently scorch 

 and burn up the herbage, although the next 

 year the spot on which it was applied will be 

 distinguished by great luxuriance and vigor of 

 development. The refuse lime, through which 

 the gas is made to pass in order to purify it from 

 the sulphurated hydrogen, becomes impregnated 

 vrith this article, and assumes in consequence, to 

 a certain extent, the characteristics of hydro-sul- 

 phuret of lime. It contains at first, in a state of 

 combination with it, a certain portion of ammo- 

 nia, but as the carbonic acid gas of the lime co u- 

 bines with this artiple, it is converted into car- 

 bonate of ammonia, or volatile alkali. Ultimate- 

 ly, however, exposure deprives it of its ammonia, 

 and none of it will be found in the lime. Foul, 

 or refuse lime, is very repugnant to most insects, 

 and to some is almost instantaneously fatal. It 

 may be applied to vegetation in the same manner 

 as gypsum, or used as an ingredient in compost. 

 In either way it will pirove a very efficient and 

 salutary fertilizer. 



ANALYSES. 



The following table exhibiting the various con- 

 stituents of several important products of the 

 soil may not be uninteresting ; — 



Wheat Straw. Barley Straw. Oat Straiv 



Potash i 3i 15 



Soda 1 1 15 



Lime 7 lOi 2i 



Magnesia 1 li i 



Alumina 2J 3 I 



Oxide of iron 23i i i 



Silica or flint 81 731 80 



Sulphuric Hcid 1 2 It 



Phosphoric acid 5 3 i 



Chlorine 1 IJ i 



Total 100 100 100 



Corn contains, potassa, 20.87; phosphoric acid, 

 18.80 ; lime, 9.72 ; magnesia, 5. 70 per cent. 

 Grass abstracts from the soil no potash. It con- 

 tains, carbon, 45 per cent. ; hydrogen, 5 ; oxy- 

 gen, 38 ; nitrogen, li, and ashes, per cent. 

 There are few vegetables which contain, probably, 

 so large an amount of potash as the pea — i. e., 



the haulm or vine. It has been ascertained by 

 accurate analysis, that the quantity of this con- 

 stituent is 53 per cent. The pea,' therefore, 

 where the haulm is rigidly economized and di- 

 rectly returned to the soil, must be contemplated 

 in the light of an ameliorating crop, and one, 

 the systematic cultivation of which would add 

 millions to our agricultural wealth, and prove 

 ultimately a most potent auxiliary in the resus- 

 citation of the soil. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



GUANO — OLD UONES. 



I have read much in the Farmer about guano, 

 many of the farmers think that it does not pay, 

 but I think it pays well on my farm. I applied 

 550 lbs. on an acre and a half of worn-out (light) 

 land, without any other dressing, and planted it 

 with corn. It was injured very much by the 

 drought, but I harvested 68 bushels of good ears 

 of corn, and 20 bushels of ears of small corn, 

 which was worth at least half-price of good corn, 

 making 88 bushels of ears. Allow two bushels 

 for shrinkage, and two bushels of cars to make a 

 bushel of shell corn, and 1 have 35 bushels of shell 

 corn, which is worth now at least $1,25 per bush- 

 el ; making $43,75 worth of corn. I applied it 

 to other lands for corn, potatoes, oats and wheat, 

 with about the same result. 



I read in the Farmer a polite invitation for far- 

 mers to experiment with old bones and horse ma- 

 nure. I will give my experiment, and should 

 like to here the result of others through your co- 

 lumns. Last spring I made a layer of horse ma- 

 nure about ten inches deep, a layer of bones, and 

 a layer of wood-ashes sufficient to cover the bones, 

 and after the heap was finished, I covered it over 

 well with swamp mud, and let it lay about six 

 weeks, when it got so hot I thought it best to 

 move it over. I found the bones about two-thirds 

 dissolved ; I covered it again with the mud that 

 had been taken off, and let it lay six weeks long- 

 er, and shovelled it over again ; I found that the 

 bones had not dissolved any since they were sho- 

 velled over the first time. Whether it was owing 

 to moving them, or to the dry weather, I cannot 

 tell. B. W. Gay. 



New London, 1855. 



coal ashes — ciiir manure — llme. 



Messrs. Editors : — I take much hiteresi in farm- 

 ing. In fact, I may truly say I love it ; but I 

 know but a little al)out it, and that little more in 

 tlieory than in practice. jNIy /nisincss is mer- 

 chandizing ; still, if every thing sliould go to my 

 liking, I may, at some time in the future, know- 

 more of it practically tlian at present. Occa- 

 sionally, now, I steal away from other duties, 

 and seize the hoe. This is iny })leasure, my recre- 

 ation, my "hobl)y." It is said tliat all men 

 have their "lioI)bies," and mine, perhaps, is as 

 innocent as any that can be selected. 



Being a ^-koow-nothinf/,'' so far as farming is 

 concerned, allow me to ask for some information, 

 that I may know soiw thing. 



Are coal ashes of any value to apply to land or 

 vegetation? If so, what are the most advan- 

 tageous modes of application ? (a.) 



