388 



N E W E N G L A x\ D FARMER 



JVNB f>, l).4l|t( 



MANURE— PLASTKR. I 



From a heap of ferri)ciilin<j manure, a vapor con- I 

 lintially risc^, very dilTorent tVnin llie cxhaliillon ofi 

 a pond, as our nuscs iiiiglit Ifslify. Perhaps some . 

 niay tliink that such lliin dirt as that would be of, 

 no consequence lo a plant ; but I can assure lliein 

 It is the bi-'st part of ihe rnanurn. Humphrey Davy 

 filled a three pint vefsel with a bent nt'ck, from n 

 fermeiitinj: heap of Btable nmnure, while it was 

 hot, and turned the binli auioiij tin; roots of some 

 grass. Nothing but vapor loft the vessel ; yet in 

 less tlian a week the grass grew with much more 

 luxuriance than the grass in any other part of the 

 garden. 



Tlie value of this vapor is therefore evident ; but 

 how shall we save it? In tlie fir»t place, the ler- 

 mentation sht.ulJ be very gradual. Make the heap 

 in the shade, or on the north fide of a buildini.', 

 and manage it just as you would nianai.'e a coal- 

 kiln. Tlie more the air is excluded, the slower 

 and better will be the process. Now covering it 

 with earth will have this eflVct ; but vapor will 

 rise even when it ferments slowly, and therefore 

 marl may be freely scattered through the heap as 

 it is made ; but no quick lime. Lime indeed, 

 should form an outside covering for the whole pile 

 (when marl is not at hand ;) but it should be care- 

 fully prcvcnlsd from coming in contact with stable 

 manure, or any animal matter. It must not touch 

 them. It spoils them. A layer of earth should 

 be interposed ; and then the lime would be highly 

 useful in catching and retaining llic fertilizing va- 

 por as it rises. 



I believe there is no difference of opinion on 

 this subject among chemists. Ilumiihrcy Davy 

 speaks in the plainest language againtit mixing 

 quick lime with common dung as injurious ; and 

 other eminent men fully accord with the doctrine. 

 On the outside of the heap, honevor, quick lime in 

 a f';w weeks would be carbonated; and after un- 

 dergoing this change, it mig.'it be safely mixed 

 with the compost. A fresh coat may then be ap- 

 plied. 



But some farmers may not »i»li to apply their 

 barn yard manure in the spring, or mako it into 

 compost — they may prefer iisii.g it after harvest, 

 and yet not have it wMsting in the moan time. In 

 that case, I would advise that it be thrown inward 

 where it lies thin, just so far that this work con- 

 jointly with the work of covering it, shall amount 

 to the least labor. Tlicn cover the whole with 

 straw or oarth to protect it from the sun ; and 

 cau80 it to be trodden down by the cattle as firmly 

 as possible, to exclude the air, and prevent fermen- 

 tation. Some of you may recollect when forking 

 up such matters after harvest, that Ihc straw in 

 spots was bright and unchanged. That was where 

 it was well trodden. All cliange is attended with 

 lo.ss ; but UK smiie change may bo expi-cted, strew 

 liino or marl and plaster plentifully over it, to ab- 

 sorb, or arreit the fertilizing vapor. 



The eflect of plaster (composed of lime and siil- 

 phuric acid) has long been a source of wonder; 

 for it was a wonder how one bushel could add more 

 than 20 tunes its own weight to a crop of clover. 

 Inrpiiring minds of course have been bu;<y in try- 

 ing to explain the mystery ; but I doubt if all the 

 properties of manun: are underrtnoil even at this 

 day. Humphrey Davy was inclined lo think that 

 plaster was a necessary part of the woody fibre of 

 ■onie plants, analogous to the bony matter in ani- 

 mal Dtrui-tur's. The plant could not do without it, 



though it wanted but little ; and hence so small a 

 quantity had such a powerful cffixt. "Plants 

 which seem most benefited by its application," says 

 that eminent chemist, " ahvays afford it on analy- 

 sis." 



When this theory was nnnoiincod some thirty 

 years ago, it was rejected in this country, where 

 the effects of plaster »vere much belter known than 

 in England, but if he could have shown that it en- 

 ters into such plants in any definite proportion, 

 some of the arguments against him might have 

 been refuted. It appears, however, that he never 

 pursued the inquiry with much interest. 



Judge Peters, of Pennsylvania, had done more 

 than any other person to extend Ihe knowledge of 

 this manure, and to favor its introduction. He had 

 becn\ery dili;;rnt and minute in his inquiries ; and 

 though not a. professed chemist, became satisfied 

 that sulphuric acid was the active ingredient in 

 plaster. He showed from the observations of Ite- 

 rard, that lands near Cutanea, in Sicily, abounding 

 in volcanic matter, including sulphur,* were very 

 fertile ; and from an experiment by the same per- 

 son, that brimstone, pounded, silted, and mixed 

 with ashes, had a surprising effect on lucerne and 

 clover. Sulphuric acid greatly diluted with water, 

 had a similar effect. 



As a further confirmation of the etrocts of sul- 

 phur or sul()liuric acid, when Chancellor Livingston 

 was travelling in Flanders, he saw the farmers 

 preparing pyrites for manure. This mineral is a 

 Combination of sulphur and iron, and when par- 

 tially burnt, is employed in the same manner, and 

 for the same ijurpose as we use plaster. Dr. Chap- 

 man, of Pennsylvania, fuund a similar result from 

 sulphnret of baryles. 



Last snminer, a new work called Organic Che- 

 mistry, by Prolessor Liebig, of Germany, was first 

 published in this country ; and it has been consid- 

 ered by those best qualified to judge, as constitu- 

 ting a new era in agriculture. It is not my inten- 

 tion, however, to detain you with any of its details, 

 except his explanation of the effects of plaster on 

 growing plants. 



Ammonia is an essential part of the food of 

 plants. It affords all vegetables, without excep- 

 tion, with the nitrogen that enters into their com- 

 position. It is very volatile ; but sulphuric acid 

 (furnished by the plaster,) can prevent its flight, 

 and fix it in the soil. This can only be done, 

 however, when the plaster is dissolved. The sul- 

 phuric acid then unites with the ammonia, and the 

 carbonic acid of the ammonia unites with the lime. 



Such is the purport of Professor Liebig's expla- 

 nation of this great mystery. If he is correct in 

 ascribing nil \ the effect of plaster to this new com- 

 bination, its importance in the economy of our 

 farms, mutt bo evident. All our fields, pastures, 

 and meadows ought to bo strewed with it; and in 

 accordance with his suggestion, it ought to be 

 scattered in all our stables and over all our barn- 

 yards. The (|uantity required is not great; and 

 many experiments may bo instituted at a trilling 

 cxpeiic. 



I ought to say, however, that this theory appears 



r. wh,|^ 



"A lato Ir.nvcM.ir wriling fioiii Italy, nats of the pci- 

 s.inis residing in the mighlKirhood of V'esuvius — " If 

 llii'ir iinusi'a iirc burinl, llipy return, when lite lava cools, 

 lo liuild new onus, and culiivsto a soil incihaustibly fvr- \ 

 lilo." 



t **1Mie rviJfnl influence of gypsum upon ilia growth 

 nfjrros'u-s, <te|iiMids only upon ils fixing in ihu soil ihu 

 ammonia of tlm aiiii'iS|it)cro," — Litbig^ p. 112. I 



insufficient for explaining all the phenomena, 

 connexion with the use of plaster. Why is 

 effect o:i clover so extraordinary, and on wheat 

 insignificant? Judge Peters, after using it (<iri 

 years, said he never found it beneficial on wintt 

 grain ; and otheLo, after long trials, thought it d: 

 little for the natural grasses. All these, lio»ev* 

 arc powerfully affected by stable manure — by d 

 very ammoniaj which that manure yields. a4 

 what do we observe ? Clover of luxuriant 

 and close along side of it, wheat without any ind 

 cation of benefit received, though both have bcq 

 plastered alike. • 



Again — Professor Liebig informs us that ever 

 shower of rain, or fall of snow, brings down animt 

 nia to the ground, where llic plaster ought to arrei 

 it, and the plants that feed on it ought to be rao» 

 thrifiy ; but we have much testimony to show tl 

 on many fields no trace of such improvement col 

 be discovered. 'I'hcse facts may not be inexplii 

 ble; but they appear to me at present, quite sufl 

 ciciit to hang a doubt on. 



I am aware that we have statements in regti 

 to the use of plaster, of the most conflicting kiau' 

 so that with Boine few exceptions, what one denp 

 another affirms ; but would this be so if it ■il 

 soUli/ in the manner described by Professor Liebin 

 A simple cause might be expected to produc%^ ^ 

 uniform effect. For instance : Poudrelte is a sin 

 pie cause; and as far as I have under.stood, it o| 

 rates with uniform effect, whether on clover, 

 or cabbages. 



On some soils indeed, plaster is uniformly ineffi 

 cictit — not the trace of any effect is pcrc; '.ibh 

 This inertness has been more frequently ob.-i rve. 

 in the ttrtiary formalion near the sea coast; ani 

 therefore it was ascribed to the salt vapors. Plai 

 ter, however, succeeds well in many places on thi 

 coast, and fails in others far beyond the sea hrueic 

 so that the cause seems to reside in the sor. aO' 

 not in the air. 



There are several substances that dcconipM 

 plaster, besides the carbonate of ammonia. C»i 

 bonates of potash and soda have the same powe; 

 In the hands of the chemi.'.t, plaster and comma 

 silt readily change into sulphate of soda and chlfi 

 ride of limn; and Judge Peters said, "I ruined i 

 bushel of plaster by a handful of salt — it was onfi 

 for either cement or manure." Some of the os» 

 lates also effect its decomposition. 



When this happens, the plaster no longer exiiti 

 and most of these results ore not kno»'n to bed 

 much value as manures. Such failures, however 

 rarely occur on calcareous soils, or on such as coo- 

 tain a due proportion of lime. There plaster gen- 

 erally proves beneficial; and even in Englandi 

 has succeeded on such lands. Many years ago, ii 

 the soutli-easlern part of Pennsylvania, some f»r- 

 mers thought it wuuld supersede Ihe use of lime ; bu 

 it gradually lost its effect ; regaining il, howevei, 

 when the land was limed. Wherever pluslf 

 proves of no use, therefore, try liming. On i 

 small scale, it may be done at a trifling expenie: 

 and may lead to the most beneficial results. 



And remember that plaster must he disiolff^ 

 before it can do any good. Sometimes there H 

 not rain enough for this purpose in summer, an< 

 therefore there is always a risk to sow it late in thi 

 spring. Let it be done early. 



I have now arrived at my last paragraph. Froii 



i "Animal manure acis only by the rormatioo of i 

 mnoia." — Liebig, p. 13f>. 



