294 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



For the New England Fanner. 



LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL 

 MEETINGS. 



Mr. Editor: — I have just read the intere.sting 

 account of the last Legislative Agricultural Meet- 

 ing. I agree with those gentlemen who say they 

 have been well sustained and well reported, the 

 last winter. I am truly sorry that they have not 

 been more fully attended. Full one-third of the 

 gentlemen who constitute the Legislature, report 

 themselves to be farmers, but how few of them 

 prove themselves to be such. Is there any man 

 worthy to come in and receive $500 for his atten- 

 dance as a Representative or a Senator, that can- 

 not bring in some facts worthy to be known — tested 

 by his own experience ? Take, for instance, the 

 facts communicated by the farmers of Wilmington, 

 in relation to stock — and in relation to the growing 

 of potatoes — and if I do not mistake entirely, they 

 will be longer remembered and more practically 

 useful than all the labored harangues that have 

 been uttered about free speech and Jree soil, and 

 all the elaborate essays on usury, that have been 

 -drawn out and published. Whoever glances his 

 eye over the cumbersome pile of documents, annu 

 ally given to the public by these Legislators, will 

 find a gi'eat part of it to be "vox prceterea nihil." 



May 2, 1857. Essex. 



CONCEKTRATED BLOOD-MANURE. 



The manufacture of this fertilizer — which has 

 been extensively used in England several years, and 

 come into so great demand that two establishments 

 are kept actively at work — has been commenced in 

 this country by responsible and competent parties 

 protected by two patents. Two important features 

 are presented, which, as they are based on facts of 

 experience, may be briefly alluded to here : — 



1. By chemical means, the rejected organs of 

 animals killed for food, in a fresh state, are reduced 

 to the condition of blood, and mixed with the blood 

 also of the animals, so as to form a semi-fluid mass, 

 without coagulation, or loss of any ingredient. 



2. Organized jjhosphate of lime, the comminuted 

 bones of fish, forming what is called Mexican guano, 

 is converted into superphosphate of lime, retaining 

 the animal matter of the Mexican guano. This su- 

 perphosphate is then intimately combined with the 

 semi-fluid blood ; and the resulting compound is 

 allowed to re-act, in order to preaep^e the blood, 

 some ten or twelve days, — a diminishing fermenta- 

 tive action continuing generally so long. After the 

 lapse of this time, changes have occurred insuring 

 permanency ; the small quantity of moisture is dissi- 

 pated ; and the mass is powdered, and put into bags 

 for the market. 



The animal matter, as taken from the animals, 

 forms more than one-half of the weight of the mix- 

 ture as first made ; but, from the changes which 

 ensue, it becomes concentrated, losing the elements 

 of water, — retaining all the nitrogen of the blood, 

 as well as that of the guano, in a soluble form. The 

 same principle is involved in the decomposition of 

 the phosphate of lime ; for the superphosphate 

 once obtained, is not allowed to exist as a liquid 

 moistening the mass, but is rendered nearly dry, 

 and combined with the concentrated animal matter. 

 The process, as a whole, is perhaps the nearest ap- 

 proach which can be made to animal dia:estiou of 



food by chemical means ; and the large vats, while 

 masticating the animal food of flesh and bones, may 

 be considered as enormous stomachs, preparing for 

 digestion the mixture, which, after ten days' diges- 

 tion without loss, becomes the appropriate food of 

 plants. 



This manure is the result of long study, and ob- 

 servations, on all the manures which have been 

 used ; and some of its claims we purpose to present 

 at a future time, in connection with a statement of 

 the observations which led to the manufacture ; our 

 object now being a concise account of what is its 

 composition and characters. Composed essentially 

 of blood, and superphosphate of lime, with the ad- 

 dition of several alkaline salts, it presents us with a 

 condition which exists only in animalized manures, 

 and has never before, so far as we know, been at- 

 tained by chemical means. Its phosphates are so- 

 luble in ivater, cold or hot, in presence of an excess 

 of finely divided carbonate of lime, precisely as we 

 find in Peruvian guano. 



Its animal matter is preserved, so that, while dry, 

 no changes occur : but, when moistened or dissolv- 

 ed, it enters into fermentation with the organic 

 matter of the soil, to produce both the heat and the 

 molecular motion essential to the action of any ma- 

 nure in hastening germination ; while its after-ac- 

 tion results in the production of carbonic acid, to 

 nourish vegetation. Its phosphates of lime, and al- 

 kalis and oxides, with sulphates and chlorides, pro- 

 vide the saline parts required at the time of seed- 

 forming ; and, with the organic matter existing nat- 

 urally in a fertile soil, the manure provides every 

 known constituent entering into the formation of 

 vegetable productions. 



The chemical analyses of the prepared dry arti- 

 cle, as sent to market, give, as a mean result, a com- 

 pound of about — 



Dry animal matter 33.00 



Superphosphate of lime 22.00 



Sulphates, carbonates, and muriates of lime, soda, 



and ammonia 35.00 



Humus and sacd 6.00 



Moisture 4.00 



100.00 



About two bulks of peat or dry loam to one bulk 

 of the blood-manure should be intimately mixed 

 with it before spreading broad-cast. It may be then 

 worked in by the cultivator or horse-hof. The ma- 

 nure is too concentrated 1o allow of it being mixed 

 with the seed, or coming in contact with the germs. 

 Dissolved in water, the solution may be used ad- 

 vantageously as a liquid manure. 



It is not strictly necessary, however, to mingle 

 it with other substances, unless it is to be applied 

 in the hill ; but, used as a top-dressing for grass- 

 lands, it is much more convenient to scatter it 

 mingled as stated above. 



DIRECTIONS FOR USE. 



For Top-Dressing Grass-Land — From three 

 hundred to five hundred pounds per acre, on mow- 

 ing land, should be applied early in the spring. It 

 can also be applied to advantage just after mowing, 

 or in the autumn. The application of two hundred 

 pounds per acre to old pasture-land will be found 

 highly beneficial. 



For Wheat, Bye, Oats and Barley— Frcm three 

 hundred to five hundred pounds per acre. After 

 the land, is plowed and harrowed, apply the blood- 

 manure ; and then sow the grain, iS:c., and harrow 

 all in together. 



