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Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 23, 28 September 1848, Page 4

The Sulphur of New Zealand —A large quantity of sulphur has been imported by Mr. Manning, of Hebart Town. It can be procured near the place of shipment in any quantity. In alluding to this important circumstance the Hebart Town Advertiser, imparts to its readers the following condensation of practical and highly useful knowledge :—- " The means are thus aff rded for the manufacture of a xery useful article in the arts, sulphuric ncid. This has hitherto been a very expensive articla of impart owing to the danger rnd dislike of shipowners to allow i* to form pari of the cargo. Hence what ought not to exceed twopence a pound, costs here ninepence. A coarse sul. Imnc acid could be manufactured at even lees than the first mentioned cost, and would be of the utmost importance for many purpose". It is now largely used ia agriculture. By means of it bone dust is rendered by far the most economical manure that exists. From two to four bushels combined with a proportionate quantity of sulphunc ucid wdl produce a grestei effect than ten times the quantity tn a natural state. Sulphate of line is one of the nc«at valuable constituents of growing plants, especially the clovers. It exists but in very smalt quantities,in most of onr soils, and is quite absent from many. A cheap sulj huiic arid would at onre supply the deficiency* This compound is largely earned off by vrgetables. Hence paiticulsrlv the failure of many crops on worn out lands where the phosphates and sulphate of lime originally existing in small quantities, are wholly absorbed. Iron, too, forms a very large constituent of some of our lands. In some, it is the cause of our being rich ; in others, poor. The difference consists in the form in which it exists. The protoxide is poisonous to plants, the peroxide a most valuable manure; sulphuric acid converts the former into the latter. These are facts lately developed by the pursuit of chemical husbandry at home. There they are acted on with the greatest succes a , and are now recognised as most valuable discoveries. Ihe application is here easy, if we tad but the means. Oue of the most valuable properties of such manures, is their portability. This is of even more consequence here than at borne. There the refuse of & thousand manufactories; the offal of a dense population; lbs products of numerous cattle; the imports of oil ceke, und u'her manures, supply substances for the use of the farmers, which are totally absent here. The best soils tequ re to have many of their elements censtantty tctieufd. This can only he done by uimure. Hence the value of such substauces as that now under consideration. Nor let it be supposed that because a email quantity of stub, manure is applied the effect must be tnfitng. The quantity of organic m ttpr abstracted from the soil hy many of the heaviest crops, is vei> small indted. Of some of the most necessary constituents of crops, the heaviest absorb but a few pounds, but thtss must exist, aud that in a peculiar and soluble form. Air and water supply the greatest portion of the bu'.k ot plants. But the other portion, though trifling iu quaatity, are no leas absolutely necessary, and m -st either exist naturally in the sod, or else be artificially supplied. Strauge as it m<iy seem to those uuacqujinted with such subjects, sulphur enters largely into the composition of wool, and its absence or presence in the soil may account t or what has frequently pulled the sheep farmers of he colony, w! y the quality should differ so much in neighbouriujr loealitus. We have heard that the texture of the wool on the opposite sides of the Macquarrie is vjrv different. If sn. the &olutionof the enigma may be found m the more or less existence of some of the sulphates u thu sails on each side. The manufacture of toarse sulphuric acid is very simple, and the apparatus inexpensive. We think it might, now that materials can be cheaply procured, be attended with considerable advantage."