386 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Mr. Bergen said that it seemed to be a settled fact that the 

 bone disease is caused by a deficiency of lime in the soil. If 

 there can be a deficiency in one article of food, there may be a 

 deficiency in another ; and we can no longer infer that nature 

 provides in the plant everything necessary for food. 



Dr. Waterbury said that the phosphate of lime was first given 

 to ricketty children. The evidence of its assimilation was not 

 so forcible as is desirable. The great objection to giving salt 

 seems to be the notion that no mineral should be taken as food. 

 The majority of animals live in salt water, so that it cannot be 

 very poisonous. 



Mr. Gale said that in Long Island, where the sea air is filled 

 with salt, cows will not eat it. Nature demands salt, and if the 

 farmer in the country, keeping a dairy, should omit to salt his 

 cattle for three weeks, the women would remind him of it ; for 

 they say that if the cows are not salted the butter will not come. 

 Our lands will not grow wheat without adding lime, where the 

 soil is deficient in lime. And if salt is deficient in the soil we 

 should apply it there as we apply the lime. 



MANURES. 



Mr. Quinn stated his views with regard to the management of 

 manure. No manure is more within the reach of every farmer than 

 barnyard manure, and none is more shamefully mistreated and mis- 

 managed. We everywhere find it exposed to the sun and rain, the 

 gases valuable to the farmer escaping into the atmosphere, and the 

 soluble portions leached out and carried to the river or to some un- 

 cultivated valley. There should be a barn cellar or other covered 

 receptacle for all the manure, liquid and solid. The escape of 

 the gases can be prevented by sulphuric acid, or by sulphate of 

 lime. It would be the best plan, if practicable, to apply manures 

 fresh, and plow them under. But in this form the manure can- 

 not be appropriated by the plants, and the farmer loses control 

 over it. Having provided a receptacle, the next thing is to pro- 

 vide, if practicable, at a cost not exceeding a dollar a cord, 

 swamp muck or peat, to compost with the manure. Any special 

 manures which may be desired, may be added to the heap. Deep 

 culture is important, in its relation to manure; for it is found 

 that when the soil is thoroughly disintegrated to the depth of 15 

 or 18 inches, it will require less manure than if it is plowed only 

 6 or 8 inches deep. 



