NEW PROCESS FOR DISSOLVING BONES USED AS A FERTILISES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3355, 17 April 1868, Page 4

NEW PROCESS FOR DISSOLVING BONES USED AS A FERTILISES.

The importance of phosphates, such as common bones, as fertilisers, especially in grain culture, could hardly be extolled, and it would be presuming upon the intelligence of our farmers to say more than to recommend its practical application. There exist however some obstacles which yet prevent waste bones (nearly always cheap and within easy reach) from being generally used. The great distances in the far West, and other inconveniences, render their purchase in powder form expensive, and for grinding them at home or dissolving them in acid there is still less chance. Professor Uienhof, in Russia, has however lately discovered a method for dissolving them, which must; prore highly economical and suitable in unsettled countries, where, owing to the great abundance of forests, wood ashes are cheaply secured — indeed, are almost always ready at hand. This new process of treating bones consists of mixing them with wood ashes and slaked caustic lime, and keeping the mixture constantly moist. As in the preparation, of lye for manufacturing; soap, the alkaline carbonates in the ashes, such as carbonate of potass*, are by the action of caustic lime converted into free caustic potasst, attacking and quickly dissolving the bones. The following practical example will illustrate the necessary proceeding : Suppose the wood ashes to contain about 10 per cent, carbonate of potass*, and that 4,0001b. of bones are to be worked up ; then we take 40001b. of ashes, 6001b. of caustic lime, and 4001b. to 5001b. of water. A ditch, some two feet deep, of such width and length as to hold 6,0001b. of the mixture, is dug, and near it a second ditch, being some 25 per cent, larger, and both lined with boards. The lime is then slaked, and, when crumbled to a powder, mingled with the wood ashes ; and 2,0001b. of bones, piled up in layers, and covered up with the mass in the smaller ditch ; 3,6001b. of water added, and the whole left co itself. Fromjtime to time small quantities of water are added to keep the mass moist. As soon as ie is found that the bones are so far decomposed that when pressed between the fingers they are soft and crumble, the second portion — i.e., the other 2,0001b. of bones— is brought into the larger ditch, and covered in layers with the first mass, and left to decompose. After the whole mass has undergone decomposition it is suffered to dry, by removing it ; and, lastly, to facilitate its xeduction to powder, mixed with 4,0001b. of dry turf, or some other dry vegetable earth. The mixture is repeatedly stirred about with a shovel, and may at once be brought upon the fields. Manure prepared thus will contain about 12 per cent, of tribasic phosphate of lime (3 CaO, Hos), 2 per per cent, of nitrogenous matter. This manure must, from its composition, produce an admirable effect upon grape-vines. Liebig, in generally recommending this new fertiliser, thinks an addition of gypsum an improvement for many kinds of fruits. — American Agricultural Report.