194 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



will rest our argument." And if I fail to get a 

 judgment in my favor, I will not blame the court, 

 but mj'self. 



The inventor further claims the privilege of fur- 

 nishing to every farmer wishing to build either or 

 both kinds, the right, with full directions and sam- 

 ples of fastenings when desired, at the low price 

 of $.3,00 for farms not exceeding 100 acres. 



Further information may be obtained by ad- 

 dressing Charles R. Smith, Haverhill, N. H. 



EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. 



WASTE OF SOAP FACTORIES. 



Will you, or some of your correspondents, in- 

 form me through the monthly Farmer, whether 

 there is any value in ley, or the refuse of soap fac- 

 tories, as a fertilizer? If any, what is the best 

 method of usiug it, and to what crops is it best 

 adapted ? L. Taylok. 



Hinsdale, N. H., 1862. 



Remarks. — The waste from soap factories is a 

 valuable fertilizer, and ought to be carefully pre- 

 served. Formerly, wood ashes was exclusively 

 used in soap-making, and then the waste was 

 more valuable than now, when soda, barilla, or 

 common salt, are used instead. We find some 

 statements in the books to the point in question. 

 "It is the opinion of many, that ashes of soap- 

 boilers especially act by the potash they contain ; 

 but this is an error; for, in subjecting them to 

 chemical analysis, they were found by Sprengel to 

 consist of the following ingredients in 100,000 

 parts. 



Silica 35,000 



Lime, mostly in a caustic state 35,010 



Manganese 2,330 



Alumina 1,500 



Oxide of iron 1,700 



Oxide of manganese 1,840 



Potash, combined with silica into a silicate 500 



Soda, " " " 180 



Sulphuric acid, combined with lime into gypsum 190 



Phosphoric acid, combined with lime 3,500 



Common salt 90 



Carbonic acid, combined with lime and magnesia. . . .18,160 



100,000 



Of soapboilers' ashes, in a dry state, from 2000 

 to 3000 lbs., (40 to 60 bushels,) may ordinarily be 

 used on an acre of land. From 3000 lbs., the soil 

 would obtain about 920 lbs. of lime ; 70 lbs. of 

 magnesia; 15 lbs. of potash; 5 lbs. of soda; 12 

 lbs. of gypsum ; 230 lbs. of phosphate of lime ; 

 and 3 lbs. of common salt, by which it will be 

 seen that they owe their fertilizing properties 

 mostly to the caustic and carbonate of lime, 

 and the magnesia and phosphate of lime, as their 

 15 lbs. of potash, 12 lbs. of gypsum, &:c., may pro- 

 duce a very inconsiderable effect, particularly as 

 the potash Is also combined with the silica into a 

 substance not soluble in water. 



After manuring with soaper's ashes, plants of 

 the clover tribe will be benefited ; and the fresher 

 the ashes are, the more effective they will be, as 

 they then contain much caustic lime, by which, es- 

 pecially the carbonic humus, or the organic matter 



in the soil, is eff'ected and changed into humic acid. 

 Soils Avhich contain very little lime will always be 

 best improved by them ; and in this case, they will 

 be very useful, whether employed as a top-ckess- 

 ing on meadows, or applied to hoed crops or 

 grain. The eff"ect will be visible for six to nine 

 years, according to the quantity used ; Avhich, 

 however, will only be the case, when the soil is 

 deficient in vegetable or organic matter, and such 

 other substances of which the ashes contain but a 

 small quantity. 



Soapers' ashes may be strewn over the crops al- 

 ready growing, such as clovers, lucerne, grasses, 

 &c., or they may be harrowed in with the seed of 

 winter or summer crops, on which they act partly 

 as leached ashes, and partly as caustic lime ; they 

 can also be used with some advantage on boggy 

 lands newly cleared, or on any moist land wliich 

 abounds in ve":etable loam." 



POISONED WHEAT FOR DESTROYING RATS, MICE, 

 CROWS, ETC. 



A pedlar from Brooklyn, N. Y., is now around 



the country selling poisoned wheat for the extir- 

 pation of vermin. He sells packages containing 

 about one gUl to druggists, traders, <S:c., at 12^ cts. 

 each, to be retailed for 25 cts. The wheat Is poi- 

 soned by being soaked in a solution of corrosive 

 sublimate slightly sweetened with molasses. I 

 have no doubt it Is a good article for the destruc- 

 tion of rats and mice, and possibly for crows. But 

 I think farmers can get poisoned wheat or corn 

 for less than $64 per bushel, the price at which 

 the above Is retailed. I will give you a recipe on 

 which you may rely : 



R. Corrosive sublimate one drachm. 



Alcohol one pint. 



Molasses one tablespoonful. 



Dissolve the corrosive sublimate in the alcohol 

 and add the molasses. Pour this upon four 

 quarts of wheat In an earthen or wooden vessel. 

 Cover and let It stand, stirring occasionally until 

 the liquid Is absorbed by the grain. Then spread 

 and dry the wheat, and it is ready for use. This 

 quantity contains 32 gills, which at the retail 

 price would be $8. Cost, including wheat at $2, 

 about forty cents. Foil. 



MANUFACTURE OF BEET SUGAR. 



In your paper bearing date March 1st, I notice 

 an article written by Thomas Crulckshank In re- 

 gard to making sugar and brandy from beets. 

 Will you, or some one of your correspondents, be 

 kind enough to give me more Information on the 

 subject. 



1. As to the kind of beet best suited for the 

 purpose. 



2. The best method of pressing sugar from 

 them, and also brandy, with description of appara- 

 tus needed. 



3. The cost of all the necessary apparatus. 

 Itockinyliam, Vt., 1802. H. E. Adams. 



Remarks. — We have some further information 

 In relation to this subject from Mr. Cruicksiunk 

 which we shall find room for soon. 



