0?i Plaister of Paris. 115 



" Many years since, I republished your tract on the 

 use of gi/psum ; which had the effect to cause many 

 experiments to be made ; but generally with litde suc- 

 cess. — However Mr. H. Smith for SmytheJ a respecta- 

 ble experimental farmer, near Feversham in Kent, has 

 fortunately succeeded, on a calcareous soil. He assures 

 me, that there are above six thousand acres under 

 plaister, in his vicinage. He received the gold, or silver 

 medal, from our society of arts and sciences." 



It will be seen that we have as much success here on 

 other soils, as we experience on those mixed with calca- 

 reous matter. The vegetable or animal substances, found 

 in the earth by the plaister, are here the causes of its 

 efficacy. Probably this is the same Mr. Smythe before 

 mentioned. It seems strange, that, in England, the plais- 

 ter agrees with calcareous matter in the earth, and yet, 

 there, it is said not to agree with lime; the basis whereof 

 is calcareous matter. 



Richard Peters» 

 October, 1810. 



