376 
SOUTHEEN cultivator. 
BLIND STAGOERS IN HORSES. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — I see an inquiry in 
your Cultivator for a remedy for the Staggers (or blind 
Staggers,) in horses. From some experience and good 
information, the best remedy of which 1 have any know- 
ledge is this : 
So soon as you are satisfied that the horse has the Stag- 
gers, bleed severely on both sides of the neck — then pour 
in a teaspoonful of the spirits of Hartshorn in one of 
his ears (or both if the horse be very bad); be careful to 
tie or confine the horse some way, lest he might kill you, 
or himself, or both. I doubt not but that the above is tlie 
best remedy for the Staggers known — as much as the 
Staggers in horses is an alarming epidemic, particularly in 
ihe South, you will please give this room in your Cultiva- 
tor. Yours truly, 
R. K, Bradshaw, 
Webster, Texas, Oct. 1855. 
PHOSPHORIC ACID IN THE OLDER ROCKS. 
Dr. Daubeny, Professor of Agriculture in the Univer- 
sity of Oxford, has paid particular attention to the interest- 
ing subject of Phosphoric Acid as it exists in both igneous 
and aqueous rocks, in combination with lime, iron, alumi- 
na and other bases. The importance of this acid, in form- 
ing the skeletons of all the higher orders of animals, and 
the seeds, leaves and stems of all nutritious plants, is well 
known. Compared with iron, chlorine, lime, soda, pot- 
ash, magnesia, and other elements of crops, phosphorus 
maybe regarded as a precious- mineral. It is worth, in 
its pure state, from two to three dollars a pound — a fact 
which abundantly proves its scarcity in that condition. 
Granite and other primitive rocks are not without phos- 
phoric acid ; but it exists in such minute proportions that 
it cannot be extracted without costing more than its weight 
in pure gold, which is often taken from the same rock. 
Prof Daubeny adopted the following ingenious pro- 
cess for demonstrating the presence of this acid in “some 
of the older rocks” where the amount was too small to be 
appreciated by the ordinary chemical tests : — He ground 
down to an impalpable powder fragments of rocks, and 
planted barley in the pulverized mass. With the aid of 
water, and the other purely organic elements of the plant, 
it grew ; and when carefully analysed, it yielded more 
phosphoric acid than the seed contained. Tillage and at- 
mospheric agencies developed in a few weeks, or months, 
a fertilizing element from a recently compact, crystalized 
rock, which the high heat and concentrated acids of the 
chemist failed to bring out even to the degree of “a trace.” 
This result illustrates a principle, applicable alike to 
scientific agriculture and the quantitive analysis of soils, 
for which the writer has long contended, namely, that 
Time is an element of commanding power in the matter of 
fertility and the growth of plants Time did not create 
from nothing the phosphoric acid which the growing 
barley extracted from finely comminuted granite ; but it 
served to consummate certain chemical changes in mineral 
compounds, resulting in the formation of the phosphate of 
lime and magnesia, as they are found in good soils, and in 
plants that grow thereon. Barren soils often contain the 
elements of fruitfulness in a latent state, which science and 
art can profitably develop, and render available to the cul 
tivator. Among these latent elements, the earthy ma- 
terials from which human bones are formed are not the 
least worthy of consideration. Burning granitic rocks, 
and even common clay, with fragments of lime stone, pro 
raises, by the results of .some experiments, to decompound 
the phosphates of iron and alumina, which are worthless 
for agricultural purposes in that condition, and produce 
the phosphate of lime. Judging from the composition of 
many rocks and soils which abound in Georgia, they 
have more need of lime than phosphoric acid to work the 
purposes of the Creator Before this mineral acid v/ill dis- 
connect Itself from alumina or iron, or manganese, it must 
be brought in contact with the alkaline earths, lime, or 
magnesia, or the alkalies, potash or soda. This is one 
reason why these alkalies and alkaline earths are so essen- 
tial to fertility. Similar remarks apply equally to sulphur- 
ic acid which forms a poison to crops when combined 
with iron to a considerable amount in the soil, or with 
alumina. W^’ith lime it forms gypsum — a well known fer- 
tilizer. 
Going back to the earlier ages of our planet, we find 
very few remains of either animals or plants until after 
vast masses of lime and soda had been separated from 
igneous rocks. Indeed, the present advanced knowledge 
of vegetable and animal physiology fails to indicate the 
possible subsistence of living beings before the disintegra- 
tion, chemical decomposition and re-composition of the 
primitive crust of the earth. 
The dynamics of geology are much better understood 
than either its paleontology or chemistry; or in plainer 
language, the mechanical forces of volcanoes, earthquakes, 
frosts, heat, tides, washing rains, rivers, and moving water 
generally, have been more elaborately and successfully 
studied than the conditions under which all the successive 
races of plants and animals have lived and died. There 
was, probably, never formed a single nerve, nor muscle, 
which did not have phosphorus as one of its organized 
elements. Pduscles and nerves are made, not from their 
constituents in a mineral form as they are found in rocks, 
air, and dissolved in water, but from constituents as they 
exist organized in plants, or in the flesh of animals. A 
plant can subsist and flourish on food that will fail to 
nourish any animal, although the animal may feed and 
fatten on the plant whose disorganized elements ai'e 
poisonous. 
The farmer who acquires a correct knowledge of the 
changed and changing conditions of phosphoric acid in 
“the older rocks,” in the more recent sedimentary forma- 
tions, in soils, in plants, and in animals, will be prepared 
to use this costly fertilizer to a much better p^dvantage 
than one who has not such information. He will have 
clearer and truer notions of all the mechanical operations 
of tillage, and see why coarse materials in cultivated earth 
are unfriendly to its permanent fruitfulness. Dr Dau- 
beny had no hope of drawing the earthy part of bones 
directly from a rock without grinding it to a powder near- 
ly as fine as the particles of fine clay. It must be in a con- 
dition to imbibe and condense gasses for chemical pur- 
poses. The atmosphere is a vast store house of choice 
chemicals, and nature uses them with unerring skill in 
clothing our fields with the most luxuriant herbage. The 
good husbandman has but to study and obey her laws, to 
command the highest success. L. 
To Cure Sheep Skins with the Wool on. — Take 1 
teaspoonful ofalum and 3 of saltpetre, pulverize and mix 
well together ; then sprinkle the powder on the flesh side 
of the skin and lay the two flesh sides together leaving the 
wool outside. Then fold up the skins and hang them in 
a dry place, gin 2 or 3 days, as soon as they are dry take 
the m and scrape, them with a blunt knife till clean and 
supple. This completes the process, and makes a most 
excellent saddle cover. Other skins, which you desire 
to cure with the hair on, may be treated in the same w'ay. 
We can speak in favor of the above recipe. It does all 
it promises. Sue h skins make excellent mats for in- doors. 
— Farmer's Companion. 
