Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-08-09
Lime.
From the Edinburgh Encyclopedias.

Lime has been regarded by some as a
manure, by others as stimulus, which
can only be plo6iably applied where the
soil possesses some dormant principle OF
fertility that needs to be reused into action.
In fact, the modus operandi Of lime is i'm.
perfectly understood, though the greater
part of agriculturists seem pretty well ac.
quainted with its effects. 1t is sufficiently
un ders;ood, that land which has been long
in grass, contains much vegetable matter,
and that the trouble and expense OF lining
it will be amply repaid to the cultivator; bu.
The propriety Of applying lime on old ara.
bic lands has been questioned, and with
much justice, by the most part Of practical
ogrculturists, und their doubts on that head
are confirmed by tho fullest expsrienee--- If
lime we're a manure, then it would be no.
bic substance for enriching and restoring
fertility to lands that were worn out by a
succession of corn crops; but as Worn out
land is not restored TO fertility by the appli-
cation of lime, we are warranted to rank 1t
in different class, or, 10 speak more cor.
reclly, as an article calculated TO bring Ger.
tain principles into action. which were pre-.
viously possessed by the soil. This con.
clusion is sanctioned by experience and ex.
perience is far better guide than the most
plausible theory.
Lime has been used with very great sue.
cess in every part Of Great Britain, though
il is evident that the grossest errors have
been committed in the after management
of land to which lime has been applied {;
and, wha, is worse, that the extent OF these
errors was in direct proportion tothe effect
produced upon the soil by the application.
This remark applies more to the former
state Of husbandry than 10 the psesent prac.
tice, because the former rule was to crop
so long as the earth would make good re-.
turn, without considering that q field, SO
treated, was not to be recovered for cen.
tury afterwards. Indeed, when lime duly
operates, the whole powers Of the soil arc
put in state of requisition, and may be
forced to act till the very soul Of vegetation
is extracted. It is scarcely practicable to
restore fertility, to land, even ofthe best natu.
raj quality, which has been thus abused at
least considerable period must elapse be-
fore tic be restored TO its original fertility !;
butth moorish soils, after being exhausted
bylime, are not to be restored. To lime them
second time, is not only useless expen-
diture Of labor and money. but also produc.
tive ofserious mischief. Soils ofthis descr'p'
tion, after second lining, are apt to slnge
and burn the grain tia, is sown upon them'
and even when duuged, not TO make such
a returu as would have been rendered under
different circumstances.
Il is difficult matter 10 say at what perl.
cd the use oflime was first introduced ,n'o
Britain but as it was well known TO the no.
mans, there is good reason to believe that
by this ingenious people, the use OF It was
first brought iuto practice in this island. be
,ha. as j, may, this mineral after undergoing
the process Of calcina,ion, has long been ap.
phed by British busbandmen as stimulus
20 the soil. and, in consequence OF such an
application, luxurian, crops have been pro-
duced, even upon soils apparently OF inter.
ior quality, aud which would have yielded
crops of trifling value, had this auxiliary,
been withheld. In fact, the majority OF
soils canno, be cultivated with advantage TIL
they are dressed with lime; and whether
this beneficial effect shall be considered as
an alternative, or as stirulant, or as ma:
nure, It will be found to be the basis ofgood
husbandry, and of more use than all other
manures put together. Wherever lime has
been properly applied. it has constantly been
found to prove as much superior to dung
as dung is to the raklngs Of roads, or The
produce ofa peat nise.