No. 144.] 279 



soil by the use of the alkali, that it may do so at a sufficient 

 depth, to insure the absorption of the freed ammonia by the s.u- 

 pernatant portions of soil. Thus guano should never be applied 

 to the soil as a top dressing until it has first been mixed with 

 some divisor containing sulphuric acid, which is capable of chang- 

 ing the carbonate of ammonia of the guano into the sulphate of 

 ammonia, and if to the same soil potash or any other alkali be 

 applied, its application should be withheld until a few days after 

 the application of the guano, and after the dews and rains, and 

 natural humidities of the soil shall have conveyed it beneath the 

 immediate surface. The alkali during its after descent will be- 

 come a carbonate before it comes in contact with the sulphate of 

 ammonia, and will be so divided as to reach it in a dilute state, 

 acting itself as a manure by supplying alkali to the plants, and 

 insuring the decomposition of many of the constituents of the 

 soil for the use of the plants, before its final use of decomposing 

 the ground, and rendering it in a fit state of food for the crop. 

 All our crops have been analyzed, and the analysis published; 

 therefore, any farmer may readily know, by an analysis of his 

 soil, what are the requirements of his crop. The most usual de- 

 ficiency of soils for these crops will be found to be soluble phos- 

 phates, potash, chlorine, soda, lime, and nitrogenous matter in 

 some safe and soluble form. All these may be readily obtained. 

 Unleached ashes will supply potash. Common salt, which is 

 composed of chlorine and soda,*by previous decomposition with 

 caustic lime will furnish these ingredients, while bones dissolved 

 in sulphuric acid, and incorporated with Peruvian guano and sul- 

 phate of ammonia, as in the improved super-phosphate of limef 

 will insure the presence of all these materials. When the solu- 

 ble silicates are deficient in soils they may be supplied by alka- 

 lies which will act on the silica of the soil, or by the waste ley 

 of the soap boiler, which contains it in solution. In the use of 

 these or other top dressings they should be divided by admixture 

 with a large amount of soil or other material, such as charcoal 

 dust, decomposed swamp muck, or other divisor may be used, 

 or fail top dressings the nitrogenous portions may be less than 

 those used in the spring, and after top dressing a slight mulch of 

 leaves from the woods, or other cheap and decomposable material, 



