Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-08-14
From DR.. Horizons Prize Essay.
l. IN G.


an all>wise Creator, next TO pure water
perhaps should be placed lime. 1t has
been well observed that those substan-
ces most essential to the life of man
have, by the goodness of divine Pro-
vidence, been distributed in the greatest
abundance, and over the greatest ex-
tent of the globe. This is certainly the
case with water, which covers great
portion Of it, and without which man
could not long exist. So with lime,
which forms whole chains of mountains;
is component part of all soils; is a
constituent part Of most grain and en>
ters essentially into the formation of
man, as well as the lower grade of ami
mails. So far as chemical science has
developed the resources of nature, lime
is believed to be the only article that
can give permanent fertility TO soils;
and from the most accurate experi>
ments that have been made, on very
fertile soils, they have been found to
contain at least one-tenth part of lime.
In soil containing the other essential
ingredients Of silex, alumina, and vege-
table matter in due proportion, with
one-tenth lime, as above stated, nothing
can be easier, on the part of the good
husbandman, than 10 keep it in state
of fertility any given length Of time.
This is the only substance that can
be obtained by agricnlturists generally,
in such quantities and such prices as
will admit of its use as manure, for a
restoration of the soil 1t may be ap-
piled in various ways; but that which
has been found hest is TO spread it on a
grass sod, soon after it is saked, and
while in state of fine powder. This
part of the process is more essential than
at first view may occur TO casual obs
servers. If the lime be permitted TO
get SO wet. after being slaked, to form
Jumps, it will do but little good, as will
appear more plain for what we shall
say presently. The lime should, as a
general rule, be spread in the fall, that
it may lie through the winter to be dis
solved by the cold rains; lime posses
sing the singular property, perhaps dif>
ferent from any other substance, of be.
ing dissolved more readily in cold than
in warm water.
ltrequires, ] think, about 600 pounds
of cold water to dissolve one pound Of
lime; hence the improperly Of putting
large quantity on the soil at once, as
considerable portion would in that case,
by absorbing carbonic acid from the
atmosphere, become what it was before
it was burnt-limestone, or carbonate
of lime.
The quantity proper for different
soils must, of course, vary from so to
$50, or even 200 bushels; but | would
recommend the application of but so
bushels at once, which quantity may be
repeated until the requisite fertility is
obtained. Let it be observed that |
speak of unslaked lime, when | mention
these quantities.
1t would not be proper to attempt to
lime more than one field year, and
but few can accomplish that, if the field
be large. In this way the profits, deri-
vable from lining, will, after the first
year, nearly cover the expenses. or at
any rate they will greatly assist in the
operation.
Let no one, however, be too sangure Of great
and immediate proftss they will come somewhat
slow, hut sure. In some instances the advantages
Of lining have been made in such almost i'm.
perceptible manner, that farmers have been discou-
ragged. Generally, however, those who have used
lime pleased, and regret tina, they have not the
means of doing It more extensively.
Lime, like all other alkaline manure should be
kept some time On the surface, for the purpose a.
the soil may become saturated with the ley. II
should not be wet and umpy when spread, or it
will not be dissolved, but become q carbonate and
do but little good. ], never looses any thing by
evapora,ion and in that respect it is unlike the two
former kinds of manure, which we have noticed.
Some eight or ten years ago, Mr.. Nelson of this
county, commenced lining his land at on expense
OF twenty dollars per acre. He Of the first
perhaps the very FIRST and his neighbors thought he
was crazy. They found, however, in a few years
when field of twenty acres produced four hundred
barrels OF corn, that is 1000 bushels of shelled
corn, that there was "method in his madness"
As it regards the price at which farmer can af
ford 10 use lime as manure, it must be regulated
by the price of wheat. According to my estimate
bushe ofwheat should pay for five OF six bushel,
| of lime delivered on the farm.
| From the I lth TO the Gath ult.. 33lo passenger