544 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Nov. 



gas, by means of nitric acid and steam, into 

 sulphuric acid, which, as first obtained, is large- 

 ly diluted with water from the condensed 

 steam. This is afterwards evaporated until 

 the liquid becomes of the desired density. It 

 is difficult to expel all the water, and the con- 

 centrated acid of commerce contains three 

 ounces of water in a pound. Sulphuric acid 

 has a strong affinity for water, and if allowed 

 to stand exposed to the air will attract water 

 from the air, so as to become perceptibly 

 heavier every day. 



Sulphuric acid is a chemical agent of great 

 power. It combines with the oxides of most 

 metals, forming with them salts, which are 

 called sulphates. Thus, with iron, it forms sul- 

 phate of iron or copperas ; with copper it forms 

 sulphate of copper, or blue vitriol ; with zinc, sul- 

 phate of zinc, or white vitriol. With the alka- 

 lies it also forms salts; as with lime, sulphate 

 of lime or gypsum, or common plaster ; with 

 magnesia, sulphate of magnesia, or Epsom 

 salts, &c. All these sulphates are more or 

 less soluble in water. Hence we see that this 

 acid combines with various earths and converts 

 them into sulphates, thus rendering them solu- 

 ble and capable of being absorbed by the 

 roots of plants. It is in this way that it be- 

 comes a fertilizing agent of much power. 

 When this acid is applied directly to the soil, 

 it should be copiously diluted with water. It 

 is said that one pound mixed with one hundred 

 pounds of water will destroy grass and weeds 

 in alleys and walks ; and that when applied 

 directly to the soil as a fertilizer, one pound 

 should be diluted with one thousand pounds of 

 water. 



Potash is found abundantly in the vegetable 

 and mineral kingdoms. It is also found in the 

 animal kingdom. It is usually obtained from 

 the ashes of wood, by leaching, and evaporat- 

 ing the lye or solution. Ashes consist of a 

 soluble and insoluble portion. The soluble 

 part is made up of carbonate of potash, sul- 

 phate, phosphate and silicate of potash, and 

 the chlorides of potasium and sodium. The 

 insoluble part consists of carbonate and sub- 

 phosphate of lime, alumina, silica, oxidized 

 iron and manganese, and some carbonaceous 

 matter that has escaped combustion. The 

 ashes are leached in wooden vessels. Some 

 lime is usually added to take up the carbonic 

 acid. Water is then added, which dissolves 

 the soluble portions, and is drawn oil" at the 

 bottom. The lye is evaporated in iron kettles 

 or pots ; hence its name, pot-ash. When it is 

 reduced to the consistence, of a thick syrup, a 

 strong heat is aitplied by which the combusti- 

 ble impurities are burned out. When cold it 

 congeals into cakes. This is the common pot- 

 ash of commerce. I 



Dillerent. plants, and the different parts of 

 the same plant, yield dillerent proportions of 

 potash. It is only in the juices that the vege- 

 table salts lesido. Hence the more succulent 

 plants, and the more succulent parts of plants, j 



yield the greatest amount on burning. Her- 

 baceous plants yield more than shrubs, and 

 these more than timber. Twigs ami leaves 

 yield more than solid wood. Plants that have 

 arrived at maturity yield more potash than at 

 any previous period. One thousand parts of 

 the ashes of oak wood yield about two per 

 cent. The bark of oak twigs, 4.20; vine 

 branches, 5.5; cornstalks, 17.5; beanstalks, 

 20.0; suntiovver, 20.0; stems of potatoes, 55.0. 

 Feldspar contains about 12 per cent, of potash, 

 and mica about 8. These are important ingre- 

 dients in granite. By the action of the weather, 

 granite is crumbled and decomposed, and its 

 elements are mixed with the soil, and brought 

 within the reach of the roots of plants. 



Potash has a caustic burning taste. It has 

 a strong affinity for water, and on exposure to 

 the air absorbs water, and grows njoist, and 

 finally liquid. It is soluble in water. It com- 

 bines with fats and oils, and forms soaps. By 

 heat, it combines with silex and forms glass. 

 Those vegetables, the ashes of whose stems 

 and leaves yield the largest amount of potash, 

 as vines, corn, beans and potatoes, require 

 constant supplies of potash in the soil. Pot- 

 ash readily combines with all the acids, form- 

 ing salts, which are of great use in medicine 

 and the arts, — bitartrate of potash or cream of 

 tartar. Bicarbonate, or saleratus, and nitrate 

 or saltpetre, are well known in domestic use. 



Concord, Mass., Oct. 10, 1SG7. R. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 SAVING SEED. 

 The following report of the discussion of the question, 

 " What seed shall we save, and how shall we save it ?" 

 by the Irasburg, Vt., Farmer's Ciub, Sept 23, is fur- 

 nished for the New England Fakmer by the Secre- 

 tary, Z. E. Jameson, Esq, 



J. B. Fassett, opened the discussion by i-e- 

 marking that, according to his idea, the ques- 

 tion is, shall we save our seed of wheat, oats, 

 corn and potatoes out of the mass of the year's 

 produce, or shall we take special care and labor 

 to save the best ? He believed it was as im- 

 portant to save the best of our field crops for 

 seed as it was to save the best calves to raise. 

 He believed if a man makes a practice of 

 planting and sowing inferior seed he will run 

 out his crops ; but with care he thought we 

 could improve in every department, — in horses, 

 cattle, vegetables and small grains. 



A. Jameson said it has been his object to 

 take pains in saving the liest seed of his corn, 

 wheat, and oats. He runs his grain through 

 tiie fanning mill and blows out all light kt'Tuels. 

 He also washes his wheat in salt brine which 

 floats out light seed. 



He had sowed wheat every year for over 

 forty years. Some farmers left off sowing 

 wheat because of the weevils, — rai-ed oats to 

 sell and buy Hour ; but lie preferred to raise 

 wheat. He always intended to sow wheat 

 where corn was gruwn the year before. Last 



