THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



269 



On very poor soils, or soils that will not pro- 

 duce more than 5 or 8 bushels of wheat per 

 acre, its effect on clover and peas may be suf- 

 ficient to make its use profitable ; but even in 

 this case, I should prefer to use Peruvian guano, 

 for this reason: Soils which have been impover- 

 ished by the growth of cereals, are quite as 

 destitute of ammonia as of phosphoric acid, and 

 Peruvian guano furnishes a large quantity of 

 ammonia, and some 25 per cent, of phosphate 

 of lime in addition. In proportion to the re- 

 quirements of the wheat plant, Peruvian guano 

 furnishes more phosphoric acid than ammonia. 

 That is to say, if a crop of wheat is manured 

 with Peruvian guano, the ammonia is all used 

 up the first year ; but there will bfe more or less 

 phosphoric acid left in the soil for the next crop. 

 Instead, then, of purchasing superphosphate of 

 lime, in order to supply the clover and pea 

 crops with phosphoric acid, I should prefer to 

 manure the wheat crop with Peruvian guano, 

 and seed it down with clover ; the phosphoric 

 acid remaining in the soil, from the previous 

 dressing of guano, would be available for the 

 clover crop, and increase its growth. 



Another argument against the use of super- 

 phosphate of lime is found in the fact, that the 

 commercial articles sold under that name are 

 generally very far short of what a good super- 

 phosphate of lime should be. For instance, in 

 England, a superphosphate of lime, warranted to 

 contain 18 ^^er cent, of soluble superphospJiate of 

 lime, is sold for about $30 per ton ; while here, 

 one of the most popular superphosphates con- 

 tains, according to the analysis of Dr. Stewart 

 of Baltimore, only 3 per cent, of soluble super- 

 phosphate of li)ne» That is to say, the English 

 article contains six times as much superphos- 

 phate of lime as the American manure. The 

 analysis was made for the manufacturer, and 

 published b^^ him in his circular ; and it may 

 reasonably be presumed, therefore, that it fairly 

 represents the value of the article. This super- 

 phosphate, we believe, is sold at $45 or $50 

 per ton. Even if it would pay, therefore, to 

 use a good superphosphate of lime for the pur- 

 pose of furnishing the clover, or pea plant, with 

 available phosphoric acid, it does not follow that 

 it would be profitable to use the superphos- 

 phates now found in our markets. It is quite 

 certain that the superphosphate we have refer- 

 red to, would be a very dear source of available 

 phosphoric acid, either for clover, peas, or 

 wheat. It is equally certain that 100 lbs. of 

 Peruvian guano would furnish more available 

 phosphoric acid to the plants the first season 

 than such a superphosphate, and in addition 

 some 15 lbs. of ammonia — unquestionably the 

 most expensive ingredient in all fertilizers. 



Superphosphate of lime, however, can be 

 manufactured and sold so as to afford soluble 

 phosphates at a much cheaper rate than any 

 other source open to the farmer. It would be 

 "well, therefore, for farmers, or for our Agricul- 

 tural Societies, to institute a series of experi- 



ments in order to ascertain what effect soluble 

 phosphates have upon the pea, clover, &c., on 

 *iJie impoverished soils of the Atlantic slope. 

 We may theorize on the subject, but actual 

 trials alone can throw any satisfactory light on 

 the subject. 



May I be allowed to say to you, sir, that the 

 Virginia State Agricultural Society could not 

 expend a hundred dollars where it could do 

 more for the advancement of agricultural 

 science, than in offering a premium for experi- 

 ments on the cow-pea, clover, &c., somewhat 

 similar to those on corn, for which the New 

 York State Agricultural Society have recently 

 offered a premium of $175. 



I remain, with great respect, yours truly, 



J. H. 



F. G. RuFFiN, Esq. 



DISEASE IN CHICKENS. 

 Sirs — In your August number a subscriber 

 inquires of you or some of your subscribers for 

 a remedy for a disease which has prevailed more 

 or less amongst his fowls since 1848. From the 

 description he gives of the disease, I am well 

 satisfied I knoAV what it is ; but know of no 

 remedy and believe there is none, as they are 

 poisoned either accidentally and designedly with 

 salt, either in water or food ; it will kill all 

 kinds of domestic fowls in two or three days. 

 You can make this fact known to your Spottsyl- 

 vania subscriber. Yours, &c., 



EDWIN EDMUNDS. 



August 13, 1856. 



FREE ACID IN SOILS. 

 We have, on several occasions, attempt- 

 ed to neutralize this common notion about 

 " uncombined free acid" in soils. Hear, 

 however, what iheMew England Farmer — 

 one of our ablest and most intelligent ex- 

 changes — says : " The presence of free 

 uncombined acids in the soil, affords one 

 of the most insuperable barriers to success- 

 ful and profitable culture, by which the 

 efforts of the farmer can possibly be op- 

 posed." " On all lands where there is a 

 growth of red sorrel, acids of some kind 

 abound, in a free and uncombined state, 

 and it is only by adopting some emenda- 

 tory powers of culture, or by the applica- 

 tion of neutralizing substances, such as 

 lime, ashes, &c., that they can ever be ren- 

 dered fertile in the production of valuable 

 crops." 



This is very strongly put. These acids 

 afford " the most insuperable barriers to 

 successful culture." Then the " red sor- 

 rel" always shows that " acids of some 

 kind abound, in a free and uncombined 

 state," and is a certain sign of an insu- 



