Sesignrir to improve \\t Jfitrnur, tije flanUr, aitir \\t (Sarimr, 
AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST ‘HEAI THY, mE MOST USEFUL , AMD THE MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN.-Was nwofos. 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY ALLEM & CO., 189 WATER ST. 
YOL. XI.] 
NEW-YORK, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1853. 
[NUMBER 8. 
8&*FOR PROSPECTUS, TERMS, ^c., 
SEE LAST PAGE. 
HOW TO MAKE HOME-MADE SUPER-PHOSPHATE 
OF LIME, AND HOW TO IMPROVE IT. 
We have now in operation a dozen or more 
manufactories of super-phosphate of lime, im¬ 
proved super-phosphato, &c.,&c.,(all “ANo. 1,” 
No. 2 not having yet appeared;) and we believe 
some dozen or more new factories are soon to 
be started. Indeed, we shall not be surprised, 
if in one year we find in the outskirts of every 
city and village in the country, containing five 
thousand inhabitants, a dingy-looking building, 
surrounded by sundry hogsheads, square boxes, 
with a glass handle on one side, and an ominous 
looking pile, apparently brought from Ezekiel’s 
valley of dry bones, while a large lettered sign¬ 
board tells us, that here is manufactured “Im¬ 
proved Super-phosphate of Lime, No. 1, made 
after the most approved methods, and under the 
especial direction of some Prof., M.D., A.M., 
Ph.D., &c., &c.” 
Now this promises well in one thing, viz., that 
there is a prospect of returning to the soil the 
millions of bones that have been removed from 
it for many years gone by, and which have 
since lain useless in hollows, ditches, and fence 
corners without number. But there is also a 
serious drawback. All these establishments are 
started to “ make’money,” and we fear that after 
paying the expenses of the buildings, with their 
half score of operators, and allowing the wide 
margin set down for net profits by the proprie¬ 
tors, it will be “ paying too dear for the whistle.” 
The energy, enterprise, and interest of a few 
individuals have, within two years past, created 
an immense demand for this article, and we 
doubt not they are lining their own pockets, to 
which we by no means object. But originating 
in England, the “sole manufacture” of super¬ 
phosphate is not limited by letters patent, and 
there is nothing to prevent a host of Yankees 
from stepping in to share the profit. 
Now we are not disposed to depreciate the 
value of this new fertilizer, on the contrary, we 
believe that in many cases—not all—farmers 
will find it greatly to their advantage to use 
super-phosphate of lime, if they can get a reliable 
article, honestly made, and sold at a reasonable 
price. Here lies one great difficulty. The host 
of competitors, on account of competition in 
. price, lack of materials, and want of honesty, 
will doubtless soon, if it is not already done , 
depreciate the value of an article, so easy to be 
adulterated without detection. 
Our simple object now is, to teach “every 
man to be his own doctor,” in other words, to 
show every man who reads this, how he may 
cheaply and economically make a reliable home¬ 
made super phosphate. We her.; speak entirely 
from our own experience. 
To make Super-phosphate of Lime. —Some 
bones, some oil of vitriol, (sulphuric acid,) and 
some wood-hooped barrels, or half-barrels, or 
half-hogsheads, are all the apparatus needed. 
Bones are every where to be found. Offer some 
of the idle boys in your neighborhood five to 
ten cents a bushel for hunting them up, and you 
will soon cry, enough for the present! Join two 
or three of your neighbors and send to the near¬ 
est large town, and get a few carboys of sulphuric 
acid. These carboys hold from 120 to 180 lbs., 
and by stipulating to return the carboys, you 
can generally get the acid for two to three cents 
a pound. For casks, take old musty meat bar¬ 
rels, or tight molasses hogsheads, sawn in two 
in the middle. The half-barrels, or half-hogs¬ 
heads, are most convenient for use. For opera¬ 
tions on a small scale one or two will be sufficient. 
Put into the barrel a quantity of w r ater, and 
pour in some acid. The acid should be added 
in small portions at a time, and the mixture be 
allowed to cool before more is added, as great 
heat is produced by mixing the acid and water. 
You want about two and a half quarts of water 
for one quart of acid; strict accuracy, however, 
is not necessary. Use a pitcher, or other earthen 
vessel, for measuring the acid and water. Having 
put the water and acid into the barrel, you may 
now put in as many bones as you can punch 
down into the liquid, which should first be 
crushed tolerably fine. As the bones settle from 
time to time put in more. Let this stand from 
six to twelve weeks, stirring it up well with a 
stick every two or three days if convenient, and 
you will have a liquid super-phosphate of lime 
as good as can be made. When you wish to 
apply it to the land, pour out the liquid, leaving 
the undissolved bones still in the barrel, and mix 
the liquid with some unleached ashes, say two 
quarts of ashes to a gallon of the liquid; and 
then mix the whole thoroughly with a large 
quantity of dry muck, charcoal dust, well rotted 
dry manure, or even with any dry soil, and it is 
ready to be sown upon the field broad-cast, or 
put in hills or drills with the seed. If put in 
direct contact with the seed, be sure to have it 
first well-mixed with a large quantity of muck 
or other substance, say two or three gallons to 
a cartload. The mixing can be done with a 
shovel on a floor or even on the ground. 
To make Improved Super-phosphate. —Make 
the super-phosphate just as above described, 
and instead of the ashes, or in addition to them, 
add a greater or less quantity of urine, or the 
liquid from the manure heap, and then dry with 
muck as before. The more urine or manure 
drainings you add, the more improved , or the 
richer in ammonia, will be your preparation. 
The above process is very simple, though we 
have used a good many words in describing all 
the particulars; and with little trouble you can 
make fifty dollars worth of first-rate super-phos¬ 
phate, or improved super-phosphate. 
Caution. —In handling oil of vitriol, be careful 
to have none get upon your hands, face, or 
clothes. This caution is especially necessary in 
pouring the acid from the carboy, and in drop¬ 
ping the bones into the barrel. It is well to 
always keep at hand a pail of water, and should 
any fly upon your person, or clothes, immediately 
remove it by a free use of water. Should valu¬ 
able garments be colored by the acid, the color 
can generally be removed, by at once washing 
the spot with some saleratus dissolved in water. 
The above operations can be carried on in the 
open air quite as well as under cover, and by 
standing on the windward side of the tub any 
unpleasant fumes will be avoided. A board 
should be placed over the tub to keep out water 
during rain. 
After pouring out the liquid super-phosphate 
from the barrel, you can add more water, acid, 
and bones, and let the process go on anew. The 
article is just as good, or even better, after it has 
stood one or five years. Should the hoops 
chance to burst off from your cask or barrel at 
any time, pour the liquid into another vessel, or 
set it upon the top of another, and let it through 
by punching out the bottom. 
BREEDING OF TROTTING AND DRAFT HGR8ES, 
[We have translated the following article for 
the purpose of showing our readers how much 
attention is paid to blood, or in other words, 
pedigree , in France and other countries, W'here 
animals are bred scientifically. To make a cross 
merely for a change is bad in the extreme; there 
must be scientific reasons for all thatany one may 
attempt to do in this line; and a part of this 
science is embraced in a knowdedge of what not 
only an animal now is, and its peculiar fitness 
for the purpose desired, but what its progenitors 
have been for a long time back ; in other words 
what is its pedigree. The article was written by 
M. Eugene Gayot, formerly one of the directors 
in one of the French government studs.] 
Translated from the Journal d’AgrieuIture Pratique. 
The question treated of in this article was 
proposed by M. Baudement, in his able report 
before the Central Agricultural Society in 
France, at its northern meeting at Valenciennes. 
The learned professor has clearly established 
the three following points: 
The necessity of changing the character of 
large breeds, by producing from less clumsy 
horses, animals lighter, yet equally strong; 
faster and answering more fully the new wants 
of the age. Practical experiments are required 
in order to insure success. 
The difficulty, if not impossibility of ar¬ 
riving at the desired end, by the use of stallions 
