4G 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jak. 



skill displayed, by the information they afford, and 

 by the rich van of the humorous which pervades 

 the whole. But I must defer a particular descrip- 

 tion of these hieroglyphical delinalions to a future 

 time, in the hope of being better able to read them 

 understandingly. s. p. 



Winchester, Dec. 5, 1853. 



SUPERPHOSPHATE OF LIME. 



Domestic Manufacture. — The discussion re- 

 specting the use of superphosphate of lime still 

 continues in many of the agricultural papers, al- 

 though the real question seems to be, not whether 

 the superphophate of lime is useful and profit- 

 able as a manure, but whether those who man- 

 ufacture it, and supply the market, do "Me honest 

 thing," and really sell what they pretend to. We 

 all know that animals, in order to have a full, 

 healthy increase of bone, &c., must take into their 

 stomachs food that contains phosphate of lime — 

 that this food must be derived either directly or 

 indirectly from the crops of the earth, and that 

 these crops must derive it from the soil in which 

 they grow, and if the soil doesnot containit, who- 

 ever cultivates that soil, must supply it in some 

 form of manuring or other. 



We all know that the bones of animals, after 

 having been formed in part of phosphate of lime, 

 will, as matter of course, supply it again to the 

 soil, if suitable chemical action be brought to bear 

 apon them in such a manner as to decompose 

 them, and liberate the several ingredients fi*om 

 the affinities which bind them together in the 

 form of bone. Hence, every bone that you 

 see kicking about by the wayside, contains valu- 

 able matter for the growing crops, and might very 

 easily be made useful as a dressing to the soil. — 

 But how shall this be done? We have frequently 

 given directions how the farmer could do this, in 

 a small way, but, as line upon line and precept 

 upon precept is as good in farming as it is in morals, 

 it will do our readers, we opine, no harm to have 

 their attention turned to the subject again. Some 

 very plain directions for doing the work of decom- 

 posing bones in a domestic way, were given last 

 week in the "American Agriculturist," from 

 which we will copy a portion, and as you may 

 wish to refer to these directions, from time to time, 

 it will be well to keep them in some convenient 

 place, for the purpose of referring to them occa- 

 Monaliy, until the process is well fixed in the mind. 



To makeSuperpuospiiate of Lime. — Some bones, 

 •ome sulphuric acid, and some wood hooped bar- 

 rels, or half hogsheads, are all the articles need- 

 ed. 



After placing the barrels in a convenient place, 

 a few carboys of sulphuric acid may be obtained. 

 These carboys hold from 120 to 180 lbs., and by 

 •tipulating to return the carboys, you can gener- 

 ally obtain the acid for two or three cents a pound. 

 Put into the barrel a quantity of water, and then 

 pour in some acid. The acid should be added by 

 a small portion at a time, and the mixture be al- 

 lowed to cool before more is added, as great heat 

 is produced by mixing acid and water. 



You want about two and a half quarts of water, 

 for one quart of acid, although strict accuracy in 

 this particular is not needled. Use a pitcher or 

 eatthern vessel for measuring the acid and water. 



You may now put in the bones ; they would be bet- 

 ter to be crushed or broken up ; and you may put 

 m as many as you can punch down into the liquid. 

 As they settle down you can add more from 

 time to time. Let this stand from six to twelve 

 weeks, stirring it with a stick from time to time, 

 and you will have a liquid superposphate of lime, 

 as good as can be made. 



When you wish to apply it to the land, pour out 

 the liquid, leaving the undissolved bones still in 

 the barrel, and mix the liquid with someunleaehed 

 ashes, — say two quarts of ashes to a gallon of the 

 liquid, and then mix the whole thoroughly with a 

 large quantity of dry manure, or even with any 

 dry soil, and it is ready to be sown upon the field 

 broad cast, or put in the hills with the seed. If 

 put in direct contact with the seed, be sure to have 

 it well mixed with a large quantity of muck or 

 other substances, say two or three gallons to 

 a cartload. This mixing can be done with a shov- 

 el on the floor or ground. 



Improved superphosphate of lime is made by add- 

 ng something that contains a large quantity of 

 ammonia, and in order to make it of yours, as 

 prepared above, omit adding any ashes, but add 

 more or less urine, or liquid from the manure heap, 

 and then dry with muck as before directed. 



After pouring out the liquid superphosphate 

 from the barrel, you can add more water, acid and 

 bones, and let the process go on anew. Thefarti- ' 

 cle is just as good or even better after it has stood 

 one or five years. Should the hoops chance to 

 burst off, pour the liquid into another vessel, or 

 set it on the top of another, and let it thro 

 into it by pushing out the bottom. — Maine 



OHARCOAL— ITS ALIMENTARY CHAR- 

 ACTER. 



Some farmers are disposed to ridicule the idea 

 that in the simple and hitherto disregarded article 

 of charcoal, the agriculturist possesses an assistant 

 of great and surprising energy. Yet such is the 

 fact, indubitably, unless all science is to regarded 

 as a mere house of cards, built up but to be thrown 

 down again. But it is not for the purpose of de- 

 fending it against the cavilling and carping spirit of 

 such as deny its claims to the character of a manuri- 

 al agent, that we now take up the pen, but rather fco 

 present a few isolated facts in reference to its capac- 

 ity of acting in some cases, and uiukr certainly modi- 

 fied, and somewhat peculiar circumstances, as a 

 substitute for the food of animals, instead of as an 

 aliment of plants. The incidents or facts given be- 

 low in illustration of the truth of the position sug- 

 gested, are from the most reliable sources, and 

 may be depended on as strictly and rigorously cor- 

 rect. 



Many years since, while one of the Liverpool 

 traders was fitting cut in the port of New York, 

 a pig was missing from on board, and was sup- 

 posed to be lost. After taking in her cargo, the 

 vessel put to sea. A few days aftpr, it was found 

 that the pig supposed to have been lost, Mas in 

 the coal-pen, but as the location of the latter ren- 

 dered approach somewhat difficult, it was conclud- 



