NEW PROCESS FOE DISSOLVING BONES USED AS A FERTILISER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1518, 6 October 1868, Page 7

NEW PROCESS FOE DISSOLVING BONES USED AS A FERTILISER.

The importance of phosphates, such as common bone as fertilisers, especially in grain culture, could hardly bo extolled, and it would bo presuming upon the intelligence of our farmers to say more than to recommend its practical application. There exist, however, some obstacles which yet prevented waste bones (nearly always cheap and within easy reaen) from being generally used. The great distances in the far west, and other inconveniences, render thoir purchase in powder form expensive,'and for grinding them at home or dissolving them in acids there is still less chance.

Professor Ilienhof, in Bussia, has, however, lately discovered a method for disolving them, which must prove highly economical and suitable in unsettled countries, where, owing to the great abundanco of forests, wood ashes are cheaply seoured—indeed, are almost always ready at hand. This now 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 potassa, are by the action of caustic lime convoited into free caustic potassa, 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 potassa, and that 4,000 lb. of bones are to le worked up ; then we take 4,000 lb. of ashes, 600 lb. of caustio lime, and 400 lb. to 500 lb. of water. A ditch, some two feet deep, of such width and length as to hold 6,000 lb. of the mixture, is dug, and near it a second ditch, being some 25 per cent, larger and b >th lined with boards. The lime is then slaked, and when crumbled to powder, mingled with the wood and ashes ; and 2,000 lb. of bones, piled up in layers, and covered up with the mass in the smaller ditch ; 3,600 lb. of water added, and the whole left to itself- From time to time small quantities of water are added to keep the mass moiat. As soon as it is found that the bones are «o far decomposed that when pressed between the fingers they are soft and crumble, and second —i.e., the other 2,000 lb. 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 reduction to powder, mixed with -i,OOO lb. of dry tnrf, or some other dry vegetable earth. The mixture is repoatedly stirred about with a shovel, and may at once be brought upon the field. Manure prepared thus will contain about 12 per cent, of tribasic phosphate of lime and 2 per cent of nitrogenous matter. This manure must, from its composition, produces an admirable effect upon grapevines.

liefcig, in generally recommending this new fertiliser, thinkß an addition of gypsum an improvement for many kinds of fruits. -