1851. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



197 



Phosphate of Lime. — Prof. Emmons hns had a quantity 

 of this article, from the qunrry at Crown Point, prepared for 

 )ise. The rook was first pulverized with sulphuric acid, and 

 then dried otTby mixing with wood ashes. It is thus brouglit 

 into a state convenient for application. Prof. E. is desi- 

 rous that extensive trials should be made with this article 

 during the present season, and has left several barrels with 

 Messrs. Emkry for distriljution. We hope the opportunity 

 will be improved, to give this manure, which has B»ved of 

 such great value in Europe, a fair test here. We will, here 

 correct an error made in a previous notice, in regard to the 

 quantity of phosphate contained in the specimens from 

 Crown Point, Prof. E.. as well as Prof. Norton, assures 

 us that it contains from eighty to idnety per cent. Albany 

 Cultivator, 



The mineral, phosphate of lime, so extensively and prof- 

 itably used in England as a manure for turneps, contains 50 

 per cent, phosphate and 12 per cent, carbonate of lime. It 

 is found in the form of hard, gravel-like stones, about the 

 size of an egg. These are ground through several mills, 

 until they are reduced to a fine powder, then mixed by ma- 

 chinery with sulphuric acid, in the proportion of 60 lbs. acid 

 to 100 lbs. of the phosphate, giving a manure sufficiently dry 

 for transportation in bags. It is sold for $25 ter ton. I have 

 seen it applied to wheat repeatedly, without the slightest ad- 

 vantage in any instance ; but on the other hand, its effects on 

 the turnep are perfectly astonishing, often increasing the 

 crop four fold. I have seen instances where its application 

 alone has increased the crop of bulbs from 10 cwt, to 10 tons 

 per acre. Its effect on leguminous plants, clover, beans, 

 peas, and tares, is not so marked, though beneficial. I think 

 it is more than probable it will be of great use in tobacco 

 culture, giving the plant a rapid growth at first, and a better 

 chance of escaping the ravages of the fly. 



It will at once be seen that the mineral from Crown Point, 

 containing 90 per cent pure phosphate, is much more valu- 

 able than the English 50 per cent article, and it is so in not 

 only that it contains' more phosphate, but also from the ab- 

 scence of the 12 per cent carbonate of lime, which in the 

 manufacturing process has to be converted into a sulphate be- 

 fore the acid vvill act on the phosphate, thus consuming a 

 large amount of the expensive article, sulphuric acid, to pro- 

 duce a cheap one, sulphate of lime, or "plaster." (The 

 English phosphate also contains iro7i, which is deleterious 

 to plants.) In the American article, this expense is avoid- 

 ed, besides having the manure in a more concentrated form 

 for transportation ; hence this will be a valuable substance 

 for exportation to the turnep growing country of England, 

 where a considerable quantity has already been sent. But 

 it will also be of great value to American agriculture. — 

 What is to be feared is, that owing to tlie want of proper 

 machinery, at first, it will be imperfectly manufactured, or 

 in other words, the sulphuric acid (the use of which is to 

 convert the insoluble phosphate of lime into a soluble super- 

 phosphate, by uniting with a portion of the lime, setting at 

 liberty its phosphoric acid, which combining with the re- 

 maining phosphate, produces the required soluble super- 

 phosphate of lime,) will not sufficiently decompose it. And 

 even should it do so, the method adopted of drying the sub- 

 stance with aslies, would, through the potash uniting with 

 the acid, to some extent at least, again decompose the soluble 

 sujjerphospliate, changing it into its original insoluble state, 

 tlius undoing what had been done at considerable expense. 

 So that its application will not be so beneficial this trial 

 year as in after years, when a better mode of manufacture is 

 practised. 



I write this not to dissuade persons from trying it, but to 

 guard them, in case of its failure', from forming a wrong esti- 

 mate of its value when properly prepared and rightly appli- 

 ed to the proper crops. A sincere wish for the success of 

 this and every other means for the advancement of agricul- 

 ture — the great interest of the nation — is my apology for 

 these remarks. Joseph Harris, — Rochester. f 



Another Poultry Book.— T. B. Minek, author of the ''Bee 

 Keeper's Manual," it will be seen by his advertisement, is prepar- 

 ing a new Poultry Book. Mr. Miner is a close observer, and 

 though he has made some strange statements in regard to the 

 breeding of poultry, in his communications to the agrieultural 

 papers, we anticipate an interesting work. 



State Agricultural Fair rt Vermont.— We have received from 

 A. L. BinoHAM a report of a meeting of the Farmers and Stock- 

 Raisers in Vermont, at Middlebury. Hon. Frederick Holbrook 

 was chopen President. The Fair is to be held at Middlebury on 

 the 10th and 11th days of September. Mr. Binoham writes us : 



" We have made extensive arrangements for the Fair. The 

 plat of ground selected, Contains fifteen acres, five acres of which 

 is a most beautiful grove lying on the bank of Orten Creek 

 There will be the greatest display of Horses and .Sheep ever 

 known in America. Mr. D. Hill, (owner of Black Hawk) say.s 

 that Black Hawk and fifty of his best co;ts shall be on the ground 

 the sight of which will be great to behold." ' 



Stephens' Book of the Farm.— This work, by Henrt 

 Stephens, with explanatory notes by the late John P. Skin- 

 ner, was first published in this country by Greely & Mc- 

 Elrath. It is now published by C. M. Saxton, bound in 

 cloth, $4 : in leather, $6. 



The same work has recently been published in numbers, 

 with notes by J. P. Norton, by Leonard, Scott & Co, of 

 New York, at $5 ; bound in cloth, $6. 



This work cannot be called the American farmer's guide, 

 having been written for another country : still, the great 

 principles which ought to guide the farmer, are the same, 

 the world over. We agree with Prof. Norton, that "no 

 intelligent farmer can rise from the perusal of these books, 

 or of any considerable portion of them, without feeling that 

 he has gained a vast amount of useful information, and also 

 perceiving that we as an agricultural people have an im- 

 mense work to do." 



Cheap Land. — Crayton Lewis, writing from Ulysses, 

 Potter county. Pa., says : 



" We have one thing to encourage us : our country is new 

 and bad culture has not done so much toward spoiling our 

 land as it has in some places. It is less than thirty years since 

 the first settlement was made in our county, and it now 

 numbers some 6,000 inhabitants, and there is room for more. 

 We are within eighteen miles of the New York & Erie Rail 

 Road — land from two to three dollars per acre, and the best 

 soil for oats in the United States, (periiaps.) One'hundred 

 bushels to the acre have been raised here. Some parts of 

 our county is well covered with pine, and the lumbermen 

 pay a good price for hay and oats. It is also well adapted to 

 grass." 



If those dependent upon their daily labor for the support 

 of themselves and famihes, and oftentimes pent up in un- 

 comfortable apartments, in unhealthy localities in cities, 

 would procure a few acres of land where it can be obtained 

 at such reasonable rates, they woiild make themselves more 

 independent and useful, and their families more healthy and 

 happy. 



IMPROVED TURNIP SEED.— Strap-leaved, Red-top, Flat, 

 •'■ Norfolk. Long Tankered, Yellow Stone, Aberdeen, and several 

 other of the most approved kind of turnip seed, just received 

 fiesh from England. A. B. ALLEN & CO 



[8-lt] 189 & 19] Water St., New York. 



Emery & Co.'s H<Mr8e Po-\vers and Ttireslxers. 



EMERY & CO.'S Premium Railway Horse Powers and Thresh- 

 ers, which were awarded the first premium at the last Siate 

 Fair, in competition with many others, for sale at the State Agri- 

 cultural Warehouse, No. 25 Cliif street, New York. 



[Q-it] G. H BARR 



•VTEW YORK STATE FAIR, at Rochester, September 15th. 16th, 

 1' 17th 18th, and 19th.— The subscriber has been appointed local 

 Secretary of the New York State Agricultural Society, at Koch- 

 ester. Any inquiries respecting matters connected with the ar-' 

 rangements of the show grounds for the Fair, may be ajdre,ssed 

 to me. Persons having articles for exhibiton, who cannot accom- 

 pany them to Rochester, can consign them to me, and i will see 

 that they are takeu proper care of, and the necessary entries 

 made at the business ofiice. JAMtS P. FUGG, 



Rochester, July, 1851. [8-2t] Local Secretary. 



