£!)c .farmer's iHontljln llisitor. 



1 be generally known. Bone-dust prepared from 

 I fresh bones that have not been exposed to the 

 |_ action of the atmosphere, or any other modi ly- 

 igencies, conluin about one-third of their 

 weight of animal, the remaining two-thirds of 

 -"..ri'iiv matter, live-si.\llis of which is phosphate 

 .of lime, the rest principally carbonate of lime. 

 'Ibis is the composition of the hone-dust em- 

 ployed in England with such beneficial res n lis. 

 Now, some of the most eminent chemists differ 

 f iirt!»eir views in regard to the cause of the in- 

 creased luxuriance in the growth of vegetation, 

 produced by the application Of this article — 

 >'Min' attributing it exclusively to the phosphates, 

 and others to both the phosphates and animal 

 mjpter. 



The latter opinion we consider decidedly pre- 

 I i . >, though some experiments would lead to 

 an adoption of the former. Embracing this 

 itiew, then, we can easily conceive that there 

 Wiay be cases where the animal matter may be 

 more efficacious than the phosphoric acid, and 

 d.-o the reverse. For instance, in those soils 

 that are abundantly supplied with [he phosphates, 

 he "n'.creased fertility resulting from the use ol 

 bone-dust will undoubtedly be occasioned by the 

 niriial matter. In an example of this kind, the 

 prj isence of lime in the soil will be of value, for 

 it will hasten the decomposition of the organic 

 ii( . lion and render it more immediately availa- 

 ble. Hence the reason that some assert that 

 lone-dust is of more utility on calcarious soils 

 han on others. 



But the dust obtained from the button manu- 

 tiCtfiries undoubtedly contains a less per centage 

 if animal matter, it being eliminated during the 

 ling process; therefore the efficacy of the 

 rlicle used in Bucks county may principally he 

 ttributed to the action of the phosphates. Now. 

 I changes does the phosphates of lime un- 

 ergo after being incorporated with the soil be- 

 ne it is in an available form ? 



The answer to this we will preface with a few 

 •marks. It is well known than the effects of 

 i, s-diist are ofien very lasting, being percepti- 

 e for several years after its application. This, 

 e imagine, results from the strong affinity ex- 

 ia between the acid and the lime, and the in- 

 ilubllity of the compound in water, which 

 ould of course, he inert unless dissolved. It is 

 r lliis reason th t a patent was granted to J. B. 

 . Esq., in England, in IS4'?, for a method 

 wring it. It was to decompose the ground 

 ines Gy the addition of as much sulphuric acid 

 juld liberate enough of the phosphoric to 

 Jssolve the phosphate of lime. The tree phos- 

 livic acid is thereby ready to combine with the 

 ioua alkaline earths contained in Ihe soil. In 

 s state, when applied, its operation would be 

 mediate and prompt, consequently not so la.-t- 

 t as when employed in its original condition. 

 cojurse, cases occur when this mode of ap- 

 ing it would be advisable. We conceive that 

 liiilar change takes place with the phosphates 

 lime in the soil to that described when Battl- 

 ed with sulphuric acid: thai is, there must be 

 i,i- acid present to assist in dissolving and par- 

 ly decomposing it, when it will he in u con- 

 suitable for vegetable aliment. 



iites 



Mil- 



putt 

 :lke 

 iriion 

 uilitt 

 swr- 

 mclu- 



V0 



,f lliii 

 tell>! 

 i!<e»f 



: ile- 

 itis « 

 in or 



nay ">oi 



[, suitable lor vegetable aliment, 

 jll'lmt such acids exist in soils, there can he no 

 4 ibt, and to them we would attribute the <le- 

 osition of bone-dust, that would proceed 

 lidly when they were in liberal quantities, and 

 Iwly when not. On those soils where it con- 

 ies lo operate for a long series of years, 



doubtless the quantity of acids is Ben; small, so 

 that the chemical changes that are necessary to 

 render the phosphate of lime available proceed 

 very slowh ; anil when its effects soon cease, 

 the opposite of this exists. Admitting these 

 views to be correct, we can easily account for 

 the failure in .question, where caustic lime was 

 applied in connection with bone-dust ; for caus- 

 tic lime, which is a strong base, would at once 

 unite with all the acids in the soil, thus leaving 

 none to dissolve ami decompose the phosphate 

 of lime, which would consequently remain inac- 

 tive for a long time. But, in addition to this, the 

 caustic lime would also liberate the ammonia 

 firmed during the decomposition of the vegeta- 

 ble matter in the soil, and thus prove injurious 

 in two ways. The same result might he antici- 

 pated, though to a less extent, on finds that had 

 been recently limed, for it requires a long period 

 for caustic lime to absorb from the atmosphere 

 its equivalent of carbonic acid. 



This view of the subject would lead us to be- 

 lieve that phosphate of lime would be compara- 

 tively inactive on soils that contain potash and 

 soda in large quantities, for these alkalies would 

 also neutralize the acid. Now, it is known that 

 soils derived liom the disintegration of the met- 

 ainorphic and plutouic rocks are highly charged 

 with these alkalies, the felspar yielding potash, 

 and the alhite soda — both these minerals forming 

 component parts of these two classes of rocks. 

 The soils in Philadelphia county. are mostly de- 

 rived from these rocks; hence we can anticipate 

 the effects of phosphate of lime when applied to 

 them. Experiments have been made with it in 

 this vicinity, and we were recently informed by 

 a gentleman who has made applications of it, 

 and has satisfied himself that it is of no utility 

 on his land. Doubtless if it were mixed with 

 earth and saturated with diluted sulphuric acid, 

 it would be equally as visible here as elsewhere. 

 Bone-dust, however, may be useful on such 

 lands if the 'alkalies have been greatly exhausted 

 by long cultivation ; and indeed it may be known 

 to produce good (fleets when this change has 

 not taken place; but, in such instances, we 

 would attribute it principally to the animal mat- 

 ter, which would operate on such soils with as 

 much facility as most others. 



Then, to sum up our remarks, we are induced 

 to believe that, when the good effects of the use 

 of bone-dust are owing to animal matter, it is 

 most effectual on soils that contain lime; hut 

 when lo ibt; phosphate of lime, on those soils 

 that have nut been limed and are not abundant 

 in alkalies. And, as the bone-dust obtained at 

 the button manufactories contains less animal 

 matter than that prepared from fresh hones, we 

 think it can be used to the best advantage on 

 soils of the latter class, unless it be acted upon 

 by sulphuric acid, as before described, when it 

 will act with nearly the same promptness on 

 both. These remarks as premature as they may 

 be, are offered to the public with the hope that 

 they ma\ awaken a spirit of inquiry in reference 

 to this article, which we believe, if judiciously 

 applied, will be of vast Utility. P. 



Laboratory of Mount Aiiv Asricul- ) 

 1848, i 



tural Institute, Nov, 14, IE 



The Lowell agent of the most celebrate Pinno 

 Forte manufacturers in Boston, states that he 

 has sold no less than eight pianos dining the 

 past six months, to girls now actually employed 



in the factories in that city. The prices ranged 

 from $250 to $350 each.— NttefoirypoH Herald, 



Singular Disease of the Eye.— A singular 

 case occurred last week at the Glasgow Eye In- 

 hrmary. A girl, of sixteen years of age, having 

 applied on account of loss of sight of her left eye, 

 the cause was ascertained to be the presence of 

 a living worm hydatid (the cysticercus of scientific 

 naturalists) in the eye, close before the pupil, 

 which it completely obstructed-. The species of 

 animal consists of a round bag about the size of 

 a small pea, from which on one side springs its 

 body, which is a (lament, consisting of numer- 

 ous rings, and capable of being elongated and 

 retracted at the creature's will. The body ends 

 in the neck and head, and the latter is supplied 

 with four lateral suckers. All this was plain to 

 the naked eye in this instance, but appeared Mill 

 more so when the animal was viewed through a 

 microscope. As the existence of such a creature 

 in the interior of the eye not only prevents vi- 

 sion, but ultimately destroys the whole textures 

 of the organ, it was resolved to remove it by 

 operation. This was successfully effected on 

 Saturday last. The patient behaved with per- 

 fect steadiness, and found her vision immediate- 

 ly restored. The hydatid continued to live for 

 more than an hour after being extracted. As only 

 four similar cases are on record, the worm exci- 

 ted much curiosity, and was examined by nume- 

 rous visiters, both lay and medical. — Glasgow 



(Canada) Chronicle. 



w i 



Vegetable Instinct. — If a pan of water be 

 placed within six inches on either side ofa stem 

 of a young pumpkin or vegetable marrow, it will 

 in the course of a night approach it, and will be 

 found in the morning with one of its leaves 

 floating on the water. This experiment may be 

 continued until the plant begins to fruit. If a 

 prop be placed within six inches of a young 

 convolvulous or scarlet runner, it will find it, al- 

 though the prop be shifted daily. If after it has 

 twined some distance up the prop, it be unwound 

 and twined in the opposite direction, it will re- 

 turn to its original position or die in the attempt ; 

 yet notwithstanding, if two of these plants grow 

 near each other, and have no stake around 

 which they can entwine, one of them will alter 

 the direction of its spiral and they will twine 

 round each other. Diihnmel placed some kid- 

 ney beans in a cylinder of moist earth'; after a 

 short time they began to germinate, of course 

 sending the plume upwards to the light and tbo 

 root dow n the soil. After a few days the cylin- 

 der was turned one-fourth round, and again and 

 again this was repeated until an entire revolution 

 of the cylinder had been completed. The beans 

 were then taken out of the earth, and it was 

 found that both plume and radical had bent to 

 accommodate themselves lo every revolution, 

 and the one in its effort to ascend perpendicular- 

 ly and the other descend, had formed a perfect 

 spiral. But although the natural tendency of 

 the roots is downwards, if the soil beneath be 

 dry, and any damp substance be above, the roots 

 will ascend to reach it. — Farmer's Magazine. 



The odor ol turpentine is a deadly poison to 

 moths and their grubs. A few pieces of paper 

 smeared slightly with turpentine, and placed in 

 drawers where furs and woolens are kept, will 

 completely prevent the ravages of the above 

 named destructive insects. 



Tools and Implements. — Let every descrip- 

 tion of tools ami implements he examined, have 

 those requiring it repaired, and those not in use 

 carefully put under cover. Such attention saves 

 both lime and money. 



