No. 11. Saltpetre and Plaster of Paris. — Corned Crows, 



337 



brought into the soil, and which is indispen- 

 sable for the nutrition of plants." 



He says, " In order to form a conception 

 of the effect of gypsum, it may be sufficient 

 to remark, that 110 lbs. of burned gypsum 

 fix as much ammonia in the soil, as 6,880 

 lbs. of horses' urine would yield to it, even 

 on the supposition that all the nitrogen of 

 the urea and hippuric acid — of the urine — 

 were absorbed by the plants without the 

 smallest loss, in the form of carbonate of 

 ammonia. If we admit, with Boussingault, 

 that the nitrogen in grass amounts to one 

 hundredth of its weight, then every pound 

 of nitrogen which we add increases the pro- 

 duce of the meadow 100 lbs., and this in- 

 creased produce of 100 lbs. is effected by 

 the aid of a little more than 4 lbs. of gyp- 

 sum." 



' In continuation, he says: "Water is ab- 

 solutely necessary to effect the decomposi- 

 tion of the gypsum, on account of its diffi- 

 cult solubility — one part of gypsum requires 

 400 parts of water for solution — and also to 

 assist in the absorption of the sulphate of 

 ammonia by the plants ; hence it happens, 

 that the influence of gypsum is not observ- 

 able on dry fields and meadows. In such it 

 would be advisable to employ a salt of more 

 easy solubility, such as chloride of calcium. 

 The decomposition of gypsum by carbonate 

 of ammonia, does not take place instantane- 

 ously; on the contrary, it proceeds very 

 gradually, and this explains why the action 

 of the gypsum lasts for several years." 



From the above we may infer that Plaster 

 of Paris should be strewed on land in the 

 fall of the year, because in the winter and 

 early part of spring the earth becomes com- 

 pletely saturated with rain and snow water, 

 and of course any gypsum that may be on 

 the soil, will have a much better chance of 

 being rendered favourable to the action of 

 the carbonate of ammonia, than it would 

 have late in the spring, when evaporation 

 goes on much more rapidly, and rain water 

 is not sutiered to remain long on the fields 

 in sufficient quantities. 



A very partial knowledge of the above 

 subject, will show farmers the folly of 

 spreading farm-yard manure on ploughed 

 fields and leaving it lay on the top of the 

 ground, until all the nitrogen has risen from 

 it into the atmosphere and blown away by 

 the winds. Rusticus. 



Strasbur?, Pa., March, 1844. 



The readers of the Cabinet have been more than 

 once reminded, that the editor does not himself adopt, 

 or endorse the views of his correspondents, nor does 

 he wish others to do so, further than suits the judg 

 ment of each one. With respect to the necessity or 

 expediency of sowing plaster of Paris in the autumn, 



in order to insure the greatest amount of benefit, we 

 apprehend that although the decomposition, &c., of 

 plaster, may not be instantaneous, it is yet not so very 

 tardy, as to make the winter rains necessary to bring 

 it into operation. Experience has led the editor to 

 conclude, that about the middle or 20th of the Fourth 

 month, after the clover has got cleverly into leaf, is 

 the best time for sowing plaster. A still morning 

 with a heavy dew, affords a fine opportunity. It is 

 undesirable to sow it during a drought, as it will not 

 be likely to operate while that continues.— Ed. 



Corned Crows. 



Perhaps sorAe one innocently enough may ask why 

 the following should appear in the Cabinet? But 

 surely if its drollery alone is not a sufficient passport 

 for it, we might plead the propriety of giving recipes 

 for saving the crops of the farmer, without admitting 

 for one moment, that so respectable a calling as his, 

 could number among its professors a single individual 

 who might take a profitable lesson from the drunken 

 crows. The Ledger says it lately appeared in an Illi- 

 nois paper. — Ed. 



Colonel B has one of the best 



farms on the Illinois river. About one hun- 

 dred acres of it are now covered with wav- 

 ing corn. When it came up in the spring, 

 the crows seemed determined on its entire 

 destruction. When one was killed, it 

 seemed as though a dozen came to its fune- 

 ral ; and though the sharp crack of the rifle 

 often drove them away, they always re- 

 turned with its echo. The Colonel at 

 length became weary of throwing grass, 

 and resolved on trying the virtue of stones. 

 He sent to the druggist for a gallon of alco- 

 hol, in which he soaked a few quarts of corn, 

 and scattered it over his field. The black- 

 legs came and partook with their usual 

 relish, and as usual they were pretty well 

 corned ; and such a cooing and cackling — 

 such a strutting and swaggering. When 

 the boys attempted to catch them, they were 

 not a little amused at their staggering gait, 

 and their zig-zag way through the air. At 

 length they gained the edge of the woods, 

 land there being joined by a recruit which 

 happened to be sober, they united at the top 

 of their voices in haw-havi'-hawing, and 

 shouting either in praise or dispraise of alco- 

 hol ; it was difficult to tell which, as they tat- 

 tled away without rhyme or reason. But the 

 Colonel saved his corn. As soon as they 

 became sober, they set their faces steadfast- 

 ly against alcohol. Not another kernel 

 would they touch in his field, lest it should 

 contain the nauseous thing, while they went 

 and pulled up the corn of his neighbours. 

 They have too much respect for their cha- 

 racter, black as they are, again to be found 

 drunk. 



