BONES. 209 



in conjunction with chemical investigation. If bone- 

 dust is put on to the soil in autumn, the moisture of 

 winter exerts a preparatory action, by which its dis- 

 solution is promoted, whilst by its application in the 

 spring, and more particularly in dry weather, it may 

 be inactive in the ground through the whole period 

 of summer. For this reason, much larger quantities 

 than those above specified, and more upon a heavy 

 than upon a light soil, are always necessary ; for this 

 reason, also, care must be taken not to bury bones 

 too deeply in the earth. Saxon farmers employ, as 

 a complete dressing, from 8 to 20 cwt. of bone-dust 

 per Saxon acre (about 2 English acres) ; smaller 

 quantities only upon remarkably favorable soils, or 

 in connection with some other manures. For top 

 and after dressing it is of course unsuitable, except, 

 perhaps, when dissolved, or in a state of incipient 

 putrefaction. 



It is certainly most advantageous to employ bone- 

 dust, like all subsidiary manures, not as an exclu- 

 sive manure, but in combination with stable-muck, 

 whereby the latter is so strengthened, that one load 

 now accomplishes as much as two without this ad- 

 dition. In a chemical point of view, this method 

 of proceeding claims to be designated as the most 

 rational and preferable, since it leads to a complete- 

 ness and equalization of the ingredients, imparting 

 to the mixture a higher value, and especially a more 

 certain operation, than by adding each of these 

 manuring agents to the land separately. For com- 

 18* 



