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Answers to Queries on Plaister of Paris, by the Rev, C 

 Wharton^ D, D, near TVibnitigton^ in the Delaware 

 State. Now of Burl ngton N. J, 



Prospect Hill, August \9th, 1796. 



Dear Sir, 



Since 1 was favoured with yours of the 20th iilt. I 

 have made inquiries among those of the neighbouring 

 farmers from whom I could expect any information 

 respectiiig ihe nature and effects of the gypsum. Much 

 use 1 find is made of it in the upper parts of this coun- 

 try, where the land in general is hilly, and the soil sto- 

 ney and thin, intermixed with a great proportion of 

 isinglass. On these hills the effects of the gypsum are 

 astonishing especially when spread upon clover. 



One bushel or one and a half at most, is sowed upon 

 an acre, and its produce is more than doubled by this 

 procedure. They do not discover that the soil is any 

 ways impoverished by the gypsum, but on the contra- 

 ry rendered more able to support a rotation of crops 

 for tw^o or three years. I could not learn that they mix- 

 ed it with any other kind of manure, or that they ex- 

 perienced much benefit except upon clover lands. They 

 always sow it early in the spring, and have no other 

 than what is brought from Nova Scotia. From my own 

 experience, I am fully convinced of the advantages aris- 

 ing from this substance to some soils, and its inefficacy 

 upon others. A narrow vein of dry gravel mixed with 

 clay, runs through the flu'm on which I live; on each 

 side of it the land is rather wet and a cold clay. On 

 this latter 1 could never perceive any effect from the 



