208 



American Ag. Imports.— Sulphuric Acid as a Manure. Vol. IX. 



American Agricultural Imports. 



The farmers in the cheese manufucturing 

 districts, are in a state of the greatest alarm 

 at the recently immensely increased import- 

 ation of American produce, but more partic- 

 ularly of that staple. The hay sent hither 

 during the last season, was not of that prime 

 quality to command an extensive and profit- 

 able sale, though at one period there was a 

 scarcity of the article in consequence of the 

 long drought, which was, however, corrected 

 by a plentiful aftermath. The pork would 

 be well received in England, if the Englis 

 mode of cutting and packing were adopted. 

 But in cheese, with an improved method of 

 churning and making, an immense deal may 

 be done. It has already superseded nearly 

 all the quantities of that article formerly 

 imported from Holland, and the efforts of 

 the American population engaged in its pro 

 duction, should now be directed to a compe 

 tition with Cheshire — the seat of England's 

 finest sample of the article. The land 

 owners and farmers of the adjacent counties 

 have taken the alarm, and met to discuss 

 the subject; but they are satisfied that there 

 is not the slightest chance of their getting 

 any additional duty imposed on American 

 produce by the government, and their only 

 hope of excluding it from the British mar 

 ket, is on the score of its inferiority; and in 

 the circumstance that the factors have al 

 ready begun to complain of its quality. We 

 should recommend that more time should be 

 taken in the manufacture of cheese in Ame 

 rica, that a greater pressure should be ap- 

 plied to it, that they should be made of 

 greater depth and less breadth than at pre- 

 sent, that they should be packed in casks, 

 separated by thin greased boards, and that 

 the factors should be allowed 120 lbs. to the 

 cwt, the Cheshire manufactures being about 

 to give only 112 lbs. — Liverpool Times. 



From the New York Farmer and Mechanic. 



Sulphuric Acid as a Manure. 



Hitherto we have used in France but 

 three substances, which act immediately 

 upon the vegetation of grass and legumi- 

 nous crops — but their scarcity and dearness 

 have prevented their general use. These 

 substances are ashes, soot and plaster. A 

 substance has been discovered for use in 

 fertilizing pastures, which is easily managed 

 and less expensive. Wc sh;ill not attempt 

 to explain the chemical and physiological 

 theories as to its action on some plants. It 

 is sufficient for us to call the attention of 

 agriculturists to the results which appear to 

 be important. 



1st. Sulphuric acid — commonly called oil 

 of vitriol — diluted in water in the proportion 

 of one part acid and one thousand of water, 

 stimulates in a very active manner all grasses 

 and leguminous plants. 



2nd. The use of sulphuric acid is miffch 

 less expensive than that of plaster, for, with 

 one quart of the acid, costing about 30 cents, 

 you can sprinkle, when diluted, about one 

 acre of ground — demi hectare — and to pro- 

 duce any effect with the plaster, 300 pounds 

 would be necessary, costing about fifty cents 

 a hundred. As to distributing it over the 

 land there is much more facility than in 

 distributing plaster, for it is easily done by 

 means of a watering pot, or over large fields 

 by a cask on a cart, having a sprinkler be- 

 hind it, as in watering the streets; and it 

 may be done as well in rainy as in dry wea- 

 ther, for it always acts with the same en- 

 ergy. 



The use of sulphuric acid has long been 

 known in agriculture. Mr. Yvart, Professor 

 of the Alfort School, recommended it a num- 

 ber of years ago, and we can cite many cul- 

 tivators who have strongly recommended its 

 use. We recollect, among other experi- 

 ments, one made by Brand, m Dordozne. A 

 piece of clover was divided into tin-ee parts, 

 one was left in its natural state, the other 

 was sowed with plaster the usual way — the 

 third was watered with sulphuric acid di- 

 luted, one to a thousand of water. No dif- 

 ference was perceptible between the plaster 

 and the acid pieces, but both of them were 

 very superior to the first, both in quality and 

 quantity of clover raised. 



This acid has been used in larger doses, 

 but except where the soil was extremely 

 poor, the proportions of one part of the acid 

 to one thousand of water is about right. 



The prices of the acid vary considerably; 

 and one principal reason is, that is difficult 

 of transportation, especially on wheels. 

 From the Revue Scieniijique et Induslri- 



elle, cf 1840. 



Translated by H. Meigs. 



American Institute, Dec. 6th, 1844. 



Blessed will be the day, if come it ever 

 should, when every man will learn that his 

 own true prosperity is essentially concerned 

 in the prosperity of his neighbour, and that 

 no gratification on earth, to a good mind, is 

 more delicious than that which is reflected 

 from tlie happiness of another, to which he 

 has been himself instrumental. — H. Colman. 



Get justly, use soberly, distribute cheer- 

 fully, and live with an eye to the recom- 

 pense of reward. 



