Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 
201 
GYPSUM, OR LAND PLASTER, AND HOW TO USE IT 
BY N. E. ALLEN", FOX LAKE. 
There has been much discussion in the agricultural papers, and 
otherwise, in reference to the benefits or results of plaster use. 
Perhaps the opinion of one who has had some experience and obser¬ 
vation in reference to it may be of interest to the public at large; 
and in no way could the information be so well communicated as in 
this farmers’ convention. This is the proper place to compare 
notes and judge of results. It is emphatically the farmers gradu¬ 
ating school. There is nothing to which I look forward to with 
more interest than this annual farmers’ convention. 
I shall not endeavor to explain the chemical properties of plas¬ 
ter, or its chemical action, but only state my experiences and ob¬ 
servations in its use. 
How and when should it be used, are questions the farmers of 
Wisconsin and the northwest are asking. Some are making fail¬ 
ures, others indifferent success, some are meeting with entire suc¬ 
cess in its use. The question is what causes this difference. Is it 
in the soil, or not knowing how to use it? In our opinion it is 
both. Some soils are better adapted to its use than others, still in 
my opinion almost any of the dry lands of Wisconsin would be 
benefited by its use if properly applied. The question then is, how 
and when should it be used? Always in seeding land to clover, it 
should be sown just before the seed is sown , and cultivated in , unless 
it can be sown long enough before to have it wet, dissolved and 
mixed with the soil ready to act with the first growth of the plant. 
There has a very erronious impression been entertained in the 
public mind in this regard, particularly in our state. People use it 
as they did East, when we have a climate, soil and quality 
of plaster all different. We have a dryer climate than at the East, 
particularly the last of May or the first of June. Plaster will do 
no good while it remains a dry dust on the surface of the ground 
or on the leaf of the plant. It must be wet, dissolved, and incorpor¬ 
ated with the soil before it can act. 
