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Did you sow your plaster last March?
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Illinois John
Posted 5/30/2006 13:55 (#15927)
Subject: Did you sow your plaster last March?


Crawford County, Robinson, Illinois

A frequent poster sent me a reprint of March, 1877 issue of Farm Journal for my entertainment. 

One article mentioned when potatoes, peas, corn, and the like should be planted.  But the one that got me, was the line that said "Plaster should be sown early in the month to receive benefit of early rains."

Is this a seed crop?  Would it be a form of fertilizer? 

I wondered if there was a crop we now know by another name, that was then known as plaster.  I can see where plaster might have minerals that would be good for some lands.

My wife googled the subject, and found a line that said something about.....fertilizer, such as salt, ashes, plaster, and lime.  From this I assume plaster was applied, and the word sow was used to describe spreading it.  In my usage, sow implies planting a seed.

There is an advertisement in the paper for seagull guano for sale, I do know that was once a source of potash.

Other interesting thing was the Farm Journal was published in Philadelphia, which I realize was almost the western border of civilized farming at the time.

However, there was a piece of advice to move to Kansas, and the prices of produce in that area were listed, wheat was $1.25 a bushel.

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