MANURES 
From Mineral ami from Organic Sources. 
“ Behold how great a matter a little fire 
kindleth!” A few sentences penned with 
reference to the comparative value of shell 
and 8tone lime, brought on us two columns 
from J. P., and, in Rural of March 21, a 
long Parrott, of over three columns, was 
fired at my works. Well, our works are of 
no use unless they will stand the enemy’s 
guns. Opposition is often more serviceable 
to progress than quiet assent. Conservatism 
is always stirred by an advance movement. 
It seems to delight in the ancient. There 
are, no doubt, ship builders now who think 
Noah’s Ark a model of water craft. But 
these gentlemen go fur back of the Ark, and 
regard the materials of the primitive rocks as 
equally assimilable food for plants, as the 
same elements produced from the decay of 
vegetable and animal matter. The Eastern 
farmers have sainelimes been in the habit of 
feeding their cows bone flour to supply a 
lack of phosphate in their food. Mr. Bart¬ 
lett, living in that region, will probably try 
ground phosphatic rock instead of ground 
hone, and wo hope he will report the result, 
after a faithful trial. This will be a fair test, 
if there is no difference in an element, 
whether derived from roclc or organic life, 
lie cannot object to this test. 
But before, we go further let ub see where 
this cotroversy stands. We object to being 
held responsible for what anybody may have 
written on “ Progression of Primaries.’’ 
These gentlemen seem to regard me as 
having succeeded to an old controversy of 
ten years ago. They cry out in alarm, 
“ Progression of Primaries!” Merely be¬ 
cause 1 wrote. “ But the most Important 
reason for the use of shell lime is that it has 
entered into organic life, which required it 
to have been in solution, and this renders it. 
more soluble and assimilable as plant food.” 
All else that the article contained was merely 
in illustration of this. Well, is it, a fact or 
not that lime from shells, that potash from 
wood ashes, that phosphate of limn from 
bones, are more soluble or assimilable ns 
plant food than the same derived from the 
rocks ? Let us quote an authority for whom 
B. lias, properly, great respect. Professor 
S. W. JonNSON, in “How Crops Grow,” 
says:—“The food of the plant,so far os it is 
derived from the soil, enters it in a state of 
solution, and is absorbed with water which 
is taken up by the force acting in the root¬ 
lets.” This shows, that all the food taken 
from the soil must he in solution. 
The same author, in sin article entitled, 
“Lime on Hill Pastures,” in Hearth and 
Home, says: “ felspar,otic of the most.abund¬ 
ant, minerals of our granitic rocks, commonly 
contains some fourteen per cent, of potash, 
which is quite insoluble, and which even the 
strongest acids cannot take from it.” Now, 
this is potash in its native state of felspar 
rock, entirely iusolublo by the ordinary ac¬ 
tion of the soil, even when finely ground. 
But does tide look like sustaining B.’s 
“axiom,” that. “A pound of potash is the 
same the world over, whether extracted from 
felspar, the ashes of wood, or those of a 
burned elephant; they will act the same in 
agriculture?" flow will it act when it is in¬ 
soluble ? 
How is it with phosphatic rock ? We will 
quote from B.’s article on this point. The 
Secretary of the Maine Board of Agriculture 
sends B. some ground phosphatic rock, and 
writes him that “the line ground, dry, nat¬ 
ural mineral is very insoluble in its natural 
state, would probably stay in the ground 
fifty years before yielding up its phosphoric 
acid.” This is the proof adduced by B., and 
it will be borne in mind that wo spoke of all 
those elements in their natural state, and not 
in a possible state of solution after treating 
with expensive adds. It was the phosphate 
and the potash in their natural mineral state 
which we characterized as “ nearly value¬ 
less ” as plant food. 
Do not these facts sustain our position ? 
B.’s own witness calls the phosphatic rock 
so insoluble when finely ground, that “ fifty 
years” would be required to tit it for plant 
food. 
Let us look at B.’« experiments with min¬ 
eral phosphates. Two hundred pounds of 
finely ground phosphorite lock from Hurds- 
town, Now Jersey, was sent to him, and he 
says “ the raw material was pretty liberally 
applied to various crops, but the results were 
not marked. A portion of it, however, was 
treated with sulphuric acid. This super¬ 
phosphate was used on corn and Swedish 
turnips.” On one spot, the land was so poor, 
he says, “the ludbs having no phosphate, 
did not, upon an average, obtain a size larger 
than English walnuts, while (hose in the 
drills that received a liberal supply of super¬ 
phosphate were six or eight Inebc« in diame¬ 
ter, with corresponding topB.” This differ¬ 
ence in size, he thinks, was “ due to the fa¬ 
vorable action of the mineral superphos¬ 
phate.” On the next trial, which was with 
several artificial manures in connection with 
mineral superphosphate on oom, the only 
one that surpassed it was Rhoades & Co.’s 
Ammoniated, which yielded only one pound 
more. 
Now, it is quite possible to explain these 
cases without supposing the mineral phoB- 
pliatc to have had any agency in increasing 
the crop. It will be noted that he used a 
“ liberal supply'’ of mineral supr/phosphate. 
Some yearn since we tried sulphuric acid di¬ 
luted with Beventy-five to one. hundred pro¬ 
portions of water, on Swedish turnip, beets, 
carrots and Indian corn. It was used in the 
proportion of one hundred and sixty pounds 
of acid to the acre. The turnips, beets and 
carrots were doubled, and the corn increased 
nearly fifty per cent, over portions not. so 
treated. It will thus be seen that it is quite, 
possible Mr. B.’s increase of crop with the 
mineral superphosphate, was attributable al¬ 
most wholly to the sulphuric acid it. con¬ 
tained. We have not anywhere stated that 
mineral phosphate may not. ho made so 
soluble as to be assimulated by plants, but in 
its crude state it iB of very little value, and 
to be made thoroughly soluble, it would re¬ 
quire much more expensive treatment than 
it has ever received from those who manu¬ 
facture it. Remember, it was the commer¬ 
cial mineral phosphates, such as are sold to 
farmers, that M. Mokjok experimented upon 
with acetic acid and found insoluble. It will 
also be remembered that i J rof. Voelchkr 
stated to the Royal Society in 18G2 that he, 
as a chemist, would not undertake to give 
the money value of manure, from an analysis, 
as there were some commercial manures that 
“ analyzed well" hut did not prove as good 
on trial as others which did not show as well 
under analysis. These were, no doubt, 
mineral phosphates in an tmassimilable 
condition. 
Some MiivIk mill Mineral Phosphates ol' 
Orirunic Origin. 
B. refers, triumphantly, to the green sand 
marl and its effects upotl New Jersey agri¬ 
culture. We concede all its good effects, hut 
we do not admit that its potash is in such a 
mineral condition as that from feldspar. It 
is not to any such extent insoluble, hut is 
dissolved in a compost heap or weak acids. 
“The green sand is often found mixed with 
(Tumbling sea shells,” says A. 8. Fuller in 
his paper before the American Institute 
Farmers’ Club. He is also of opinion that 
“ these little globules are the excrement of 
sea worms.” Prof. Rogers says:—“The 
carbonate of lime, in most instances, we can 
trace to the fossil shells and other organic 
remains inbedded in the stratum. * * * 
The phosphate of iron is, no doubt, derived 
from phosphoric acid, traceable to the ani¬ 
mal remains acting on oxide of iron. Vari¬ 
ous fossil shells and other marine organic 
remains, amounting to considerably more 
than one hundred species, are scattered 
through the green sand. These collections 
of fossils would seem to he most abundant 
in those parts of Urn stratum which consist 
largely of green Band.” (Survey of New 
Jersey.) The potash, no doubt, also lias a 
vegetable or animal origin. Thus B. will 
see that his greou sand case is a proof of our 
position. 
The phosphatic deposits in South Caro¬ 
lina, and probably in many other places, are 
of animal origin. The nodules in Bouth 
Carolina are, most clearly, animal remains, 
and will be found more soluble than those of 
a purely mineral origin. But in the mineral 
form in which they are now found, we do 
not anticipate that they will be as cheaply 
rendered soluble and assimilable as plant 
food, as recent animal bones; still they will 
furnish an immense resource, for improving 
the Agriculture of the Southern States.— 
e. w. 8. 
-- 
ABOUT FENCES. 
Fences are a nuisance. I am glad the 
old crooked rail fences which disfigure the 
country can never be rebuilt. The stable 
and the yard are the cheapest, enclosures. 
Bm, the popular tide is setting towards 
hedges. As wind breaks on the prairies 
they will be useful. The sweet scented 
thorns in England, with the singing birds 
nestling in them, are poems; and as our 
writing travelers are mostly young clergy¬ 
men or fresh fledged collegians, we have had 
the poetry and missed the practical. But 
the English farmer is progressive; he is 
tearing out the hedges and using more the 
yard and stable. Fences mark the first era 
in farming, but they disappear when the best 
experience, skill and science become the 
servants of Agriculture. I am particularly out 
of patience with our fences because mine 
arc poor, some of them tumbled down, cob¬ 
ble stone walls, crowned with rickety and 
rotten rails. To the leeward of such a fence 
lay a wheat field, and the fence caused snow 
banks to form on it which utterly killed on 
acre of grain. Considering the use of the 
ground the fence occupies, together with the 
damage it has caused, and isn’t it paying 
dear for tolerating a nuisance? 
Monroe Co., N. Y. Chiel. 
arm (rcammtin 
DOUBLE-TREES — SINGLE-TREES. 
In the following list 1 have endeavored to 
give illustrations of all the popular methods 
of ironing double-trees and single-trees. 
When obtaining fire wood and at other 
times, the farmer lia9 an opportunity that 
should not pans unheeded in selecting tim¬ 
ber suitable for these implements. The. size 
of double-tree, combining strength with neat 
appearance, is two inches thick, four and 
one-half Inches wide at the center, and 
three and one-half inches at the ends: The 
taper should be made upon both sides. Many 
have an erroneous idea of tapering all upon 
the rear aide. This renders it liable to split 
when under a heavy strain. The length 
for farm purposes is four feet; this should 
be increased from six to fifteen inches if 
large horses are used. Every farmer is sup¬ 
posed to be sufficiently bkilled in the art to 
determine this and other points, which are 
only satisfactorily settled by circumstances 
or patient trial. 
Figure l. 
The timber usually employed is well sea¬ 
soned white oak; nevertheless, if a good 
quality of ash or hickory can bo obtained, 
they will subserve the same, purpose. If 
clevises are used, make the holes about three 
inches from the ends, and bore as far back 
from the center of the stick as the irons will 
allow. The form found most convenient, 
under all circumstances, is to have a staple 
pass through the center, to draw by, made 
of Swede iron, retained in position by two 
nuts on the front, with a plate of iron under 
these extending from one to the other. This 
arrangement is clearly portrayed in Figure 1. 
Tin' staple on the back side should be heavy, 
us all the wear comes at this point. The 
parts that pass through the wood arc not 
unusually twice as largo as necessary, re¬ 
quiring a large aperture, thus materially 
lessening the strength ©f the wood. As no 
lateral strain comes upon these parts, five- 
sixteenths iron rods are. large enough, and 
should be oiled previous to insertion, thereby 
preventing their gradual wasting away by 
rusting. Bore a pin or hammer hole well in 
front of the center, that it may be used upon 
wagon or sled. 
Figure 2. 
All farmers are supposed to bo conversant 
with the moduso]/rmiuli of at taching devises, 
rings, «fec., to this class of implements. Wo 
notice next the manner of coupling the sin¬ 
gle-tree to the double-tree, shown in Fig. 3. 
A bolt., with eye at one end, is secured to the 
end of the double-tree by nut; one similar 
in construction welded within the one pre¬ 
viously mentioned, passes through the center 
of single-tree, also secured by a nut. In 
this, as under all circumstances when the 
nut rests against wood, place a washer of 
iron or leather intermediate, protecting Hie 
wood from injury, perfecting a closer union 
than can otherwise be obtained. To prevent 
splitting, u rivet is placed through the end of 
double-tree. This manner of coupling is a 
veiy good one, allowing, by its peculiar con¬ 
struction, the single-tree to assume as many 
positions as by the clevis system. The cost 
is moderate, and it has no projecting parts to 
catch in the soil while plowing, &c. 
Figure 3 shows a staple secured to single¬ 
tree, and a large clevis; sides flat and pro¬ 
vided with two holes upon a side, through 
which pass bolts or staples, securing it at 
the end of double-tree in the manner shown. 
For general farm work this coupling will 
prove desirable, although not as well, per¬ 
haps, all things considered, as the one shown 
in Figure 4, which, by the way, is the 
Figure 4. 
simplest in construction and the cheapest 
manner of coupling double-trees to single¬ 
trees that ever came under my notice. Two 
plates of iron five inches in length, one and 
a quarter inches wide, and three-sixteenths 
ol an inch In thickness, with a hole bored 
near each end one-half inch in diameter, are 
secured by bolts or rivets upon the sides of 
the center of single-true and sides of ends 
of double-tree, as shown. This, although 
strong and durable, is best suited to use upon 
a wagon, grain drill, land roller, &e., where 
the draft, is uniform and it is desired to keep 
the end of single-tree in the same position. 
It is less wearisome to the team than when 
clevis and staple, or one of the form in 
Figure 2 is used, which wring and twist 
about under the application of unequal pres¬ 
sure ; while in the one in question, and in 
Figure 5, by their peculiar construction, and 
Figure 5. 
when the bolts are drawn tight, the single¬ 
trees retain, when being handled, the same 
parallel position to the double-tree, as the 
illustrations portray. 
Figure 0. 
For general farm use the single-tree should 
be two feet eight or ten inches in length; if 
shorter (unless the horse is small) than this 
the tugs will chafe the horse’s sides; longer 
ones are unhandy. As in the construction 
of double-trees, oak is preferable; for heavy 
draught purposes hickory is best; it springs 
a little, thereby lessening the liability of 
breaking. Two inches and a half broad by 
one and a half inches thick, with gradual 
taper tow T ard the ends, is heavy enough for 
all practical purposes. 
Figure 7. Figure 8. 
In my opinion, Figure G represents the 
best book for attaching tugs to traces; how¬ 
ever, all the other illustrations of hooks 
shown have their admirers. Figure 7 repre¬ 
sents a hook that Is neat and for road pur¬ 
poses is a good article; like all stationary 
hooks, the tugs are liable to become un¬ 
booked, oftentimes causing serious damage. 
This may be guarded against by bending the 
end of hook, leaving mere space for the 
passage of tug. 
Figure 9. Fioure 10. 
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are of similar charac¬ 
ter, and need no further description, as their 
construction is clearly shown. 
Many farmers use what is denominated a 
half-tug harness, the lower portion of the 
tugs being composed of chains, the remain¬ 
der of leather, as in the ordinary manner. 
Figure 11 is especially designed for the use 
of chain tugs. Two rings are used in most 
cases; however, this is a matter of minor 
importance; they merely aid in lengthening 
the tugs, 'fhe ring may be connected with 
single-tree by clasp, or any of the .previous 
shown methods you may elect. 
Figure 12. 
Figure 12 represents an iron single-tree, 
made from the best Swede iron, in the form 
shown; in many localities it is quite popu¬ 
lar. In weight it does not. vary from the 
common wooden ones, 
properly ironed. A 
tug hook for buggies 
Figure 13. or other light vehicles 
is shown in Figure 18, and explanation is 
unnecessary. 
Figure 14. Figure 15. 
Figure 15 represents a wear plate, placed 
in the center of double-tree, for a purpose 
that is obvious to all. 
Figure 16. 
But few teams, when hitched to a wagon, 
travel without allowing the single-tree to 
rub against the wheels. How often do we 
see single-trees nearly worn in twain by that 
unsteadiness or inequality of the traveling 
power of horses. This can, in a manner, be 
avoided by the driver checking the ambitious 
horse by a steady pull upon the lines, or by 
shartening the tugs, or by placing upon the 
rear of the single-tree a rub iron of the form 
shown in Figure 14. 
The wheels of many lumber wagons are 
retained in position upon the axle by a nut 
on the outer end of the same. A wrench is 
therefore necessary to remove said part. It 
can, for this particular purpose, be con¬ 
structed in no other form that will be as use¬ 
ful as the one portrayed in Figure 16, it being 
used to retain the whiffle-trees in position 
upon the wagon tongue. 
(° ° cl 
Figure 17. # 
The form of arranging whiffle-trees pre¬ 
paratory to using three horses abreast is 
shown in Figure 17. It. is a cumbersome 
affair—a combination of bolts, clevises, rings 
and wood. The large double-tree is five feet 
long, three inches wide and two inches thick; 
small double-tree, four feet long, two and 
one-half inches wide and one and three- 
quarter inches thick; single-trees each two 
and one-half feet in length. 
I have to-day tried Potter’s three-horse 
clevis; it dispenses with the large double¬ 
tree in the illustration, three clevises and one 
ring. I must confess it worked beyond my 
most sanguine expectations. It is a perfect 
equalizer—an article, worth the money to 
any farmer using three horses abreast. 
Yates Co.. X. Y. L. T). Snook. 
<|I)t §tomr-®trb. 
ARSENIC FOR SWINE. 
Leander Smith, V. S., writes the Journal 
of Agriculture (St. Louis) as follows: — 
“ Glancing over the pages of one of your 
contemporaries of this week, I was astonished 
to find therein this extraordinary piece of in¬ 
formation, to wit‘ I having a sow which 
had been unwell for some time, called in a 
man skilled in the diseases of animals, who 
declared that the animal, had worms in the 
kidneys, and thereupon scooped out a potato, 
and inserting the frightful amount of half an 
ounce of arsenic into it, gave it to the sow, 
and she recovered.’ 
“ III reference to this, I wish to say, the 
worms only existed in the. diseased imagina¬ 
tion of the prase liber, for had they been in the 
kidney of the hog, tlu* arsenic could have had 
no effect upon them; secondly, hogs are not 
subject to such a disease; and thirdly, no ani¬ 
mal ever took and retained that much arsenic 
and lived. Liebig states that arsenic destroys 
organized structure by entering into com¬ 
bination with it. Its action upon living 
organs is the same in all animals. It is a 
most virulent poison. It. is much used in 
medicine, internally as a febrifuge and tonic; 
externally, stimulant and caustic. The dose 
for a man is from one-twentieth to one-tenth 
of a grain, that for a horse from ten to 
twenty grains, that for a full grown hog five 
grains. Jn doses larger than these it is a most 
violent poison to all animals, consequently 
there must have been a mistake somewhere. 
“ 1 do not believe the gentleman misinform¬ 
ed the public willfully, but that the man he 
got to minister to liis hogs misinformed him.” 
- —+++ - 
Hog 'Wisdom.— A Chester Co., Pa., corre¬ 
spondent of the Southern Planter and Farmer 
says: No animals deteriorate fast er than swine. 
Tltr trough is a irreat dement in the character of a 
luto; he is amazingly like a dandy. To keep him 
in first rate trim, ho soon oaU his head otf; yet, 
if lie has to hunt his food, even with ihe slight¬ 
est effort, lie soon becomes too enterprising to 
be a lino specimen. Ah soon as u pig becomes 
enterprising, ho ceases to be “a Chester County 
White.” Dame Nature soon fits him to this 
new order of things; his npse lengthens, the dis¬ 
position to use it also increases, his logs grow 
longer, his sides flatter, ids hams Jose their 
plumpness, and in one or two generations he is 
a match in a race for any ordinary dog. 
If you want to keep up the breed of good 
hogs, keep no more than you can keep so lazy 
they will not grunt. 
-^- 
Kidney Diaeuae. — A Correspondent of the 
Country Gentleman had a line breeding sow af- 
feetod with thiB disease, and had recourse to an 
old German in the neighborhood, considerably 
Kkillod in the diseases of animals, for advice. 
(Tj)on seeing her, he said her kidneys were dis¬ 
eased, and if opened would be found to contain 
a number of grub worms; that it was not an un¬ 
common disease, and could be easily cured, and 
that it was as likely to attack well kept hogs as 
poor ones. Ho told mo to procure an ounce of 
arsenic, which I aid; he t hen look a large potato 
and out It In two, scooped out each haJf and put 
in one-half the arsenic, covered over wit h a slice 
of potato, and threw one to the animal. The 
other half was administered a day or two after¬ 
wards. It made her very sick for two or three 
days, after which she began to mend, in a week 
or teu days was entirely well, and lived to have 
several litters of pigs. 
-- 
Fattening llogs. — Thomas .T. Edge, in the 
Practical Fanner, says he had found that five 
bushels of whole com, fed raw, made but forty- 
seven and three-quarters pounds of pork; that 
live bushels, less the toll for grinding, fod mixed 
with cold water, made but fifty-four and a half 
pounds; but that the same quantity of meal, 
well boiled and then fed cold, made eighty-three 
and three-quarters pounds. He says merely 
scalding the meal with boiliug water fails to de¬ 
velop all the nutriment ; audthat he “fastens 
down the lid of his barrel until the pressure of 
steam gets in to it, was as high as five pounds to 
the inch in thebarrel and steamer." As friend 
Edge is a very painstaking Quaker farmer, his 
experiments may be implicitly relied on as cor¬ 
rect.— s. w. 
