274 



JNEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jdne 



For the New England Farme; . 

 DISSOLVING BONES. 



Mr. Brown : — In the last Farmer (monthly) 

 you gave some directions for dissolving bones in 

 sulphuric acid. As I have made three unsuccess- 

 ful trials, and do not care to "give it up so," will 

 you give us a little more definite information on 

 the subject. 



Haio finely should the bones be broken 1 



What is the best and cheapest way of crushing 

 them ? In the trials I made I found the labor of 

 breaking them quite considerable, (a.) 



Are the bones entirely dissolved? (b.) I have 

 not succeeded in dissolving more than | to ^ of 

 them. 



Will as good results be obtained when but few 

 pounds of bones are used, as when the quantity is 

 100 or more? (c.) 



Is it essential that the bulk of the water should 

 be just U times the bulk of the acid 1 (d.) I find 

 different writers differ in this particular. 



What is the most convenient method of using 

 the dissolved bones, and how large a quantity can 

 safely be applied? (e.) A Subscriber. 



Remarks. — (a.) They should be first broken in- 

 to coarse pieces and then ground in a mill. 



(b.) They will be if the bones are ground. 



(c.) The difference in quantity will probably 

 have no material effect on the process. 



(d.) If the bones, when ground, are not conr 

 verted into a soft paste-like substance by the op- 

 eration, add a little more acid. 



(e.) The bone manure may be used in any way 

 in which you use other manures ; like all other fer- 

 tilizers, keep it covered up. There are so many va- 

 rying circumstances, that no rule can be given for 

 its application. Professor Low states that some 

 of the English farmers were in the habit of apply- 

 ing 60 or 70 bushels to the acre ; while here 10 or 

 15 bushels is considered a good dressing. But the 

 quantity required must depend on the condition of 

 the land. See Farmers' Encyclopedia, article, 

 "Bones," and Browne's Muck Book. 



NEW SEEDLING GRAPE. 



C. M. Ilovey states in his Magazine of Horti- 

 culture, that a new seedling grape has been pro- 

 duced from a native vine, fully equal to the Isa- 

 bella, and ripening at least one month earlier than 

 that variety. He received specimens of the fruit 

 as early as the middle of September, which wefe 

 the very last of the crop. The berries were round, 

 black, and covered with a dense bloom ; bunches 

 as large as those of the Isabella ; skin thin ; flesh 

 tender, with scarcely any pulp, "exceedingly sweet 

 and delicious." The vine is hardy, vigorous and 

 productive. The name of the originator is not 

 given, as it would, if known, subject him to a flood 

 of orders. The vine will probably be secured in 

 the hands of a few, and in due time be offered to 

 the public, who will of course make some allow- 

 ance for the charms which novelty throws around 

 every new horticultural production. Should this 

 prove nearly so valuable as is hoped, and the same 

 result be verified of Dr. Talk's new seedling, and 



Longworth's newly discovered hardy foreigner, we 

 shall soon have quite an addition to our list of val- 

 uable varieties. 



Remarks. — The originator of the grape men- 

 tioned above presented us a liberal dish of the fruit 

 last autumn, and we found it scarcely inferior to 

 the best Isabella. It ripens, as stated, in the open 

 air, and before the usual heavy frosts. We hope 

 it will be extensively propagated, and afford a 

 grape that may be depended upon in all parts of 

 New England. 



For t/ie New England Farmer. 

 SHELL LIME. 



Mr. Editor : — On reading the article on this 

 subject, in the last number of the Neiv England 

 Farmer, I noticed a slight error or deviation from 

 the meaning, which it was intended to convey. 

 The error related to the quantity of common salt. 

 One bushel of common salt is designed to form the 

 result. The recipe referred to, states/o?/r barrels 

 of shell lime, one bushel of common salt, and one 

 cord of summp mud or feat. Another recipe, which 

 I have noticed, in order to form a similar result, 

 is the following : — Take one barrel of common 

 quick limPjOne bushel of common salt, and one cord 

 of peat or muck. The salt is to be dissolved in 

 water ; with this solution, the lime is to be slaked, 

 and this compound is to be mixed with the peat. 

 These two formulas are prepared in the same way 

 and produce a similar result. The explanation may 

 be regarded as correctly stated. Lime, slaked in 

 this way, results in the formation of caustic soda, 

 which is highlp active when combined with the 

 other substances. The soda, the elements of air 

 and water, viz : oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen, 

 and the geine as found in the peat, form, in their 

 ultimate disposal, a compost rich in nitrogenous 

 matter, largely contributing to the formation and 

 growth of plants ; while a reaction is made upon 

 the elements of the soil, which' will be in favor of 

 subsequent vegetation. These effects and changes 

 can be demonstrated, by the well known actions 

 of chemical science, and can be proved by actual 

 fact. These processes are not only richly remu- 

 nerative to the practical farmer, but are also high- 

 ly beautiful and instructive to the agricultural 

 chemist. 



There is latitude, however, in the use of these 

 and other materials. The compound noticed may 

 be mixed with the droppings of the stall and peat. 

 Plaster and ashes may be added. Or shell lime 

 or common quick lime, plaster, ashes and common 

 salt, may be mixed with the droppings of the stall 

 and peat with sand or loam, until at the close of 

 the year, or at the return of April and May, a pile 

 of compost may be found, five, six or seven times 

 greater in amount than the droppings of his stock. 

 The elements will be steadily and untiringly at 

 work. Man and his domestic animals may stop to 

 refresh themselves and may be preparing for fresh 

 efforts; the sun may retire beneath the horizon and 

 leave the earth to be shrouded in darkness ; all na- 

 ture may be hushed into silence and repose, and 

 man himself may be wrapped in the slumbers of 

 the night; but these elements are Avorking out 

 their mighty changes and yielding a sure reward 

 to the care, industry and economy of the husband- 



