23—1846. | 
THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
379 
some years : ago, 4d. per perch; the drains being 30 in | being taken - as equivalent to the extra amount thu 
deep, 14 ins. wide at top, and 4 at bottom, contained 
about 1} cubic yards per perch, and the cost of earth- 
work here thus amounted to 3d. per yard; but this was 
very dear. On land in this neighbourhood (which is 
a deep loamy soil, lying on a clay subsoil), during the 
past year, the drainage has been contracted for at 44d. 
per perch for the mains (3 ft. 6 ins. deep, and 6 ins, 
wide at bottom, to hold a double row of drain tiles, and 
16 at top); and 344. per perch for the parallel drains 
(3 ft. deep, 2 ins. wide at bottom to hold a pipe, and 
14 ins, wide at top). Calculation shows that the exca- 
3. Paring and Burning.—This will cost, according 
to the toughness of the sward and the depth to be cut, 
from 8s. to 12s, per acre to pare ; from 12s, to 14s. per 
aere to burn; and from 2s. to 3s. for spreading the 
ashes; and the whole cost will amount to from 20s. to 
30s. per acre. The first item may be diminished by the 
employment of a paring plough ; the second depends, 
for its expense to the men undertaking it, greatly on the 
Weather, and this risk makes the cost excessive ; it is 
well when the third item proves heavier than usual, 
both as evidencing the bulk of the ashes, and the size 
of the heaps. It is well to burn slowly in large heaps— 
the first, because black ashes are thereby obtained ; and 
the second, as wet weather is thus less likely to quench 
the fires. I have had no experience of the expense of 
burning clay lands, and therefore I take the liberty of 
extracting the following statement of Mr. Randall’s, in 
2 late volume of the English Agricultural Society’s 
Journal :—“ Three tons of raked slack, which costs 
at the pit 3s. per ton, will burn in the summer 
in heaps of about a cart-load each more than 10 
yards per acre? “But there is another mode of 
procuring ashes: it is by burning large fires of 50 to 
200 yards with coal, and carting and wheeling the 
ashes upon the land. I, have done a good deal in this 
way, and the cost, not including horse labour, which of 
course varies with the distance to which the ashes have 
to be drawn, is as follows :— 
Disqus, Sy E a 
Wheeling and spre: g a distance of 50 
yards from the heaps, and filing and 
spreading the remainder at1jd........... 0 12 6 
0 0 
8 0 
‘ £4 0 6 
Á 4. Quarry Work is paid for by the cubic yard, 
5d.to 6d. for common building stones, 4d. for the refuse 
Smaller ones for roads, and 1s. for flag stones. I speak 
Only of those rocks with which I,am acquainted; of 
Course the cost depends on the nature of the rock. The 
breaking of stones for drains or roads is done per yard 
Measured before breaking, at various prices, dependent 
on the brittleness of the stone. The mountain lime- 
stone— Wenlock (Silurian) limestone and trap rock, 
With which I am best acquainted, cost in this neighl 
hood, 5d., 7d., and 10d. respectively, to break, so as that 
there shall not be a stone in the heap which the boy 
shall not be able to put in his mouth—practically a very 
good test to go by. 
and 6. — Builders’ and Carpenters’ Work. — 
Remarks on these have hardly any right to a place in 
, an agricultural essay, but for completeness sake I ma; 
Just mention the following as the prices at which our 
buildings have been erected. Building per perch, i. e. 
Walling (stone and lime) 2 feet thiekat bottom, and 1 foot 
ins, at top (averaging therefore 1 foot 9 ins. through- 
Out) 164 feet long, and 1 foot high, costs ls. 6d., 
and requires about one measured yard of stones, and 
Yarious quantities of lime, according to circumstances. 
Building, what is here-abouts called a ‘bacon ” 
Wall, which consists of alternate layers, each 1 foot 
fie of dry stone, and stone and lime, will cost 
Od. per perch, In measuring mason-work the space 
gies by doors and windows is measured in; 
the ds eine a wall, the tape is taken | round 
toi gn, the trouble in the one case of fashioning the 
er, and in the other of arching over the openings, 
measured in, In measuring circular work, as tank 
walls, the tape is taken once and a half round ; and in 
measuring small arches and bridges, their actual sur- 
face is doubled in calculating the payment due, and the 
end walls are measured without deduction for the open 
arches. Paving may be laid at ld. per foot ; mortar 
floors from 6d. to 7d. per square yard; plinths for 
door-post will cost from ls. to 2s. to fashion out, ac- 
cording to the nature of the stone. 
The following are the prices paid for carpenters’ 
work in thg erection of our buildings : — Roofing— 
beams and ‘couples being 5 feet apart, and rafters 
at 1 foot intervals— 8s. 6d. per square, contain- 
ing 100 square feet. Windows—mere quadrangular 
oaken frames to hold an iron window frame, about 3 
feet 6 inches by 2 feet—3s. each. Doors, and divisions 
between stalls, and all similar work (Elm), 31d. per 
square foot. Oak pillars planed and fashioned, 5 feet 
high, ls. 3d. each. The tiler’s bill was 3s. per square, 
containing 100 square feet, for laying the pan-tiles, and 
4d. per square yard for white-washing. 
1. Road-making.— This will cost, according to the 
width and depth of the road, and the distance and 
nature of the stone employed as road material, from 
2s. to 25s. per perch. Thus,— 
d 4 yards wide, and laid ? inches thick, will 
cost to move the earth, and fashion out the bed 
of it per lineal perch £0 
ac 
It wil 
require about 8 cubic ya ds of stone, to be 
‘And hauled—say halfa mile — . 
And to be levelled and spread, dc. 4 
1 
qua il 4 
And to be broken : d. 5018510 
8 
1 
Thus costing in all per perch .- e 0 
—M. S. 
he eec d our stet i 
Elome Correspondence. 
The application of Bones dissolved. in Sulphuric 
Acid as a manure for Turnips being now so general, 
perhaps the following hint may be acceptable to your 
readers, as it is the opinion of several practical farmers 
who tried the experiment last year, and are about to 
repeat it. Takea large but shallow tub, about 18 inches 
deep (regulating the size according to the quantity re- 
quired), spread the bones at the bottom of the tub, and 
add sufficient water barely to cover them, then pour in 
the acid, stirring the whole mass with a strong fork ; an 
immediate fermentation takes place, and the bones will 
be sufficiently dissolved for use in 48 hours, or even less. 
The best way to prepare the compost for the drill, is 
mix half the quantity of peat or wood ashes—according 
to quantity of bones used, passing it, ifnecessary, through 
a coarse sieve—and afterwards adding as much dry 
mould as the drill requi: This plan is,we think, better 
than dissolving the bones in a heap of dry mould (as re- 
commended by Mr. Pusey) because, without great care, 
the acid, when poured on to the bones, is apt to escape 
into the mould, therefore we prefer adding the water 
first ; a tub is better than an iron vessel, the sulphuric 
acid having a great affinity for metal will soon destroy 
it, but it has no effect upon wood, The proper propor- 
tion per acre is 4 bushels of bone dust, with 40 pints of 
sulphuric acid, which weigh about 70 Ibs. if bought in 
smali quantities ; 3d. a pint is the price of the acid in 
thecountry.—d Constant Subscriber, Aylsham, Norfolk. 
Sulphuric Acid and Bones.—In your Paper of the 30th 
ult., you have much to say about “ dissolving bones in 
sulphuric acid,” an expression not consistent with mo- 
dern chemical phraseology, and leading many to erro- 
neous conclusions, To make the matter clear, there 
are three elements employed : bone composed of phos- 
phorie acid (D) and lime (2), and sulphurie acid (3). 
In bone No. Í and 2 are combinéd, and when No. 3 is 
added it seizes on No. 2, set'ing No. 1 (that is phos- 
phorie acid) at liberty. The compound of No. 2 and 3 
is gypsum, or sulphate of lime, or substances of but 
little fertilizing power, so that whatever merit the 
practice may haye must be credited to phosphorie acid; 
and the bones are not dissolved at all, That this liquid 
may be more prompt in effect than bone-powder cannot 
be doubted, but it might yet be a question whether 
ground bones will not in the long run be found best for 
the farmer where he can grind them himself, to insure 
their genuineness, and every farmer will do so when he 
knows as much of grinding as the writer. And there 
are other matters of fertilising quality in bone besides 
phosphate of lime, which will be preserved by using 
the bone in fine powder.— Chemicus. [The term “bones 
dissolved" may not be correct ; the proper term. is 
* bones rendered soluble We imagine that the phos- 
phorie acid is not “set at liberty” ; it is made to give 
up a portion only of the lime it was in union with, and 
with the rest it forms a superphosphate ; which is of 
greater fertilising influence than the common phosphate. 
lst, because it contains more phosphorus ; and 2nd, 
and chiefly, because of the ‘accident, so to speak, of its 
solubility in water,‘which gives it access to the plant]. 
Seed Potatoes on Dartmoor and other Peaty High- 
lands.—The doubt and anxiety felt by farmers this sea- 
son about their seed Potatoes will dispose many to set a 
proper value, in future, on seed which may be depended 
n. And it is not only deduced from theory, and from 
the rot last year,worst on the richest ground, but known 
from the experience of a hundred years that Potatoes 
grown on high and peaty lands, without, dung, make the 
healthiest and most productive seed. The diseases of 
this valuable root have gone on increasing 1n tendency 
to decay, until last year made the alarm general, and 
much anxiety is felt for the present crop, rising from 
last year’s seed. However this may turn out, it is not 
the less important to free our future seed from this 
e 
| putrid tendency. This is to be done by using preserva- 
tive instead of putrefactive manures, antiseptic soils, 
and cool climates, to give hardiness. Soot, charcoals, 
and ashes are the most antiseptic of manures, peat the 
most antiseptic of soils, and it may be found dry enough 
in abundance on the cool high lands, as Dartmoor, &e., 
or if not dry enough, which is of importance, is easily 
drained on those steep elevations. It is, therefore,very 
desirable that farmers on the moorlands should culti- 
vate Potatoes largely expressly for seed, without dung 
or any other animal manure, but with as much soot 
and ashes as they choose. The ground may be pre- 
pared with lime, or lime and salt, soot, &c., say 20 bushels 
per acre, with three times as much peat, charcoal, or 
ashes spread in the drills with the sets ; and they may 
be top dressed when 5 or 6 inches high, with 1 ewt. 
each of sulphate and nitrate of soda, but not earthed up. 
As unripe seed has been found to produce the healthiest 
plants, it may not be too late to set for seed in June even 
in those highlands, and the plants will run the less risk 
from early frost. And as the produce of 1 aere will set 
from 10 to 20 aeres, a large proportion of the lowlands 
might thus be supplied yearly with sound and hardy seed, 
allowing the whole of their own produce to go to market. 
I am sorry to add, that of two plots of Early Pink-eyes 
I have examined this morning, one was curled through- 
out, the other a full fourth, though neither at all black- 
ened. Adjoining plots of Gilliflowers in fine order, and 
Yorkshire Snowballs equally vigorous, but the two latter 
have not reached the critical period of growth, as they 
are much later than the Pink-eyes. They are all in 
rich market garden ground.—Is there any more recent 
or complete account of the system of market gardening 
round London than that in Middleton's “ Agricultural 
Survey” in 1813 1—J. P. 
Experimental Growth of Swedish Turnips (Eccles), 
drilled May 20, 1845, on ridges 27 inches apart, in por- 
tions of the same field of 1 statute acre each. The crop 
was sold and delivered in the neighbourhood, cleared of 
tops and tails, at an average price of 21s. per ton, from 
Nov. 19, 1845, to March 4, 1846. Seed drilled, 4 lbs. 
per acre. 2 cwt. of salt per acre was sown on the land 
previous to the manure, except where vitriol was used. 
No. 1.—Farm-yard manure, 10 ue 6s. 
R sh. 
Bon 2 bu: 06 0 
Vitri 21 036 
Soda-ash. .. 068 
Tons Cwt. PRODUCE. 
24 4 Swedes, cleared of tops and tails. 
) i Bas given to cattle 
af when taken up. 
7 0 Tops 
2 14 
In mixing, the bones were first saturated with as mueh 
water as they would absorb ; then the vitriol was added, 
and remained three or four days ; the soda-ash was then 
well mixed, and ina few days the compost was ready 
for the drill. This is a better method than No. 4, with 
a large quantity of water. 
No. 2.—Farm-yard manure, 15 loads, at6s. £4 10 0 
Rap 5 owt., at 6s. 10 0 
Soda-ash l6bush.at4d. 0 5 4 
£6 50 4 
Tons Cwt. PRODUCE. 
22 10 Swedes, cleared of tops and tails, 
P small) given to cattle. 
81 0 
No. 3.—Farm-yard manure, 151oads, at 6s. £4 10 
at at6d. 
0 
Pigeon manure 28b 14 0 
Soda-ash 16bu: 0954 
——— £5 9:4 
Tons Cwt. 
21 6 Swedes, cleared of tops and tails. 
0 a è 
Jes Tojs » ” in given to cattle. 
29 16 
No. 4. Farm-yard manure, 15 loads, at 6s. £4 10 0 
Bone-dust I. 2 bush., at 3s. 0 6 0 
Vitriol ..  .. 421bs,atld. 0 6 
19 € 
| The bones were first saturated with 12 gallons of water, 
then mixed with the vitriol, stood three days ; I then 
added 212 gallons of tank water, being the drainage 
|from stables. "The land was ridged over the farm-yard 
| manure, the liquid mixture poured on the top, after 
| which the seed was drilled. 
| Tons Cwt. PRopucE.* | 
8 10. Swedes, cleared of tops and tails. 
9 E A small] Given to cattle 
5 0 Tops j E 
25 10 H 
No. 5.—Farm-yard manure, 15 loads, at 6s. £4 10 0 
Bone-dust .. 12 bush., at 3s. 116 0 
Soda-Ash is 16 bush., at4d. 0 5 
4 
ees 
This management I have been accustomed to give for à long 
me. 
Tons Cwt. PRODUCE. 
18 14 Swedes, cleared of tops and tails. 
E0 Top? v small) given to cattle: 
26 4 
No. 1 had five loads farm-yard manure iess than the 
other lots, in consequence of a more recent fallow om 
that part having left the land in better condition, and 
it was judged this would equalise them. No.1 appeared 
first above ground and kept the lead throughout; it 
was ready to hoe several days before any other, and 
the bulbs inereased more in proportion to the tops. 
No. 4 wasthe next, but was beat by all, the first week 
in July. Nos. 2 and 5 were equal until the last three 
weeks in July, when the latter had the advantage. 
After July no notes were taken. The land is a stiff dry 
loam, 12 to 18 inches deep upon limestone rock. The 
farmyard manure was first put into drills, and covered 
by splitting the ridges ; the other dry manuring was 
