292 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



as powdered lime and gypsum, are absorbed through 

 the pores of leaves when scattered upon them. A 

 watery temperature, it is alleged, at least arrests its 

 effects, and seems to suppress them altogether if the 

 gypsum has been calcined, a process which it is 

 sometimes subjected to, to facilitate its reduction to 

 powder. Burning, however, merely expels the crys- 

 tallized water, without otherwise altering the gyp- 

 sum, the strongest heat not being sufficient to expel 

 the sulphuric acid. When applied to tillage- crops, 

 it should be either sown broadcast in spring, or scat- 

 tered upon the hills or drills of the growing crop. 

 Upon the principle quoted above, the latter would 

 seem to be the better practice in regard to hoed 

 crops ; though our mode of applying it to corn has 

 been to sow it broadcast before the ground is har- 

 rowed for seeding. When applied at the rate of five 

 or six bushels to the acre, the effects of a dressing 

 have sometimes continued some four or five years. 

 The most common practice is to sow it annually 

 upon the crops and grounds likely to be benefited by 

 it, and to sow it in quantities from one bushel to two 

 bushels on the acre. 



To determine the capacity of gypsum for absorb- 

 ing moisture, an ounce and a half, in fine powder, 

 was exposed to the air during three foggy nights, 

 and afterward carefully weighed, when it was found 

 to have gained not quite half a grain in weight. 

 This fact overthrows the theory that plaster is ben- 

 eficial on account of its capacity and tendency to 

 imbibe moisture from the atmosphere. 



The benefits of gypsum are so palpable in our 

 country upon clover and some other crops, and indi 

 rectly upon nearly all, that we cannot but hope these 

 remarks will serve to extend its use upon our farms, 

 and to indnce many to try it who are experimentally 

 ignorant of its fertilizing powers. 



