Bread from Stones

by Julius Hensel

This book was the first work to attack Von Liebig's salt fertilizer thesis, and it stands as valid today as when first written over 100 years ago. Translated from the German writings of Julius Hensel, the book was designed to introduce the people of the U.S. to the idea that plants require healthy food in order to flourish, just as a human being does. It describes a then new and rational system for fertilization which has become science today: fertilizing with stone dust. Hensel went searching for food for plants and found it in the primeval rocks. Fed on such foods, plants will yield healthy, wholesome and life sustaining food that escapes disease and parasites.

A true classic of agriculture.

Genres: Agriculture, Gardening

102 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1894

Reviews

[Milena · Rating 4 out of 5]

dificil d'entendre les parts més quimiques per un lector qualsevol pero valiosa aportació i impressionant de q sigui de fa 150 anys, s'haurà d'aplicar

[Douglas Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hensel, a nineteenth century German chemist, discovered by accident how rock dust, i.e. finely ground rock, had a beneficial affect on growing plants. He spent the remainder of his life researching this phenomenon. As he experimented with rock dust on plants he shared his findings with other chemists of his day. He eventually became convinced that the use of chemicals in agriculture was the wrong approach and was instead an advocate of rock dust. Unfortunately prominent chemists who had a stake in the use and proliferation of chemicals in agriculture felt threatened by Hensel and essentially blacklisted him causing his work to be ignored and nearly forgotten for more than 70 years.
His work was eventually rediscovered in the late 20th century.

I found the book somewhat difficult to follow, I believe partly because it was written originally in German in a 19th century prose style and then translated into English.

However, the concepts and content that Hensel presents are fascinating and important.

There is a movement for the advocacy of rock dust and its use. The non-profit organization "Remineralize the Earth" was created to further the education of and uses of rock dust. Philip Callahan, and John D. Hamaker are two in this field who have studied and written about it.
Nearly everyone in the rock dust movement considers Julius Hensel the grandfather of the movement.