Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-08-12
From Dr.. Horizons Prise Essay.
Irs4rt

LIME.
Or all the blessings bestowed on the
husbandman by the benefcent hand Of an
al-wIse Creator, next to rure water, per-
haps should be placed Lime. Ii has been
well observed that those substances most
essential 10 the life OF man have, by the
goodness Of a divine Providence, been dis.
tributed in the greatest abundance, and
over the greatest extent Of the globe.
This is certainly the case with water,
which covers d great portion Of it, and
without which mai could not long exist.
So with lime, which forms whole chains
Of mountains is a component, part of all
soils is constituent part Of most grain !;
and enters essentially into the formation
of man, as well as he lower grade Of ami
mails. So far as chemical science has de.
vsloped the resources Of nature, lime IS
believed to be tho only article that can
give q permanent fertility 10 soils and
from the most accurate experiments that
have been made on very fertile soils, they
have been found to contain at least one.
tenth part Of lime. In q soil containing
the other essential ingredients Of silex, al.
um!na, and vegetable matter in due pro.
portion, with one.ienih lime, es above
stated, nothing can be easier, on the part
OF the good husbandman, than 20 keep IT
in state Of fertility any given length Of
time.
This is the only substance that can be
obtained by agriculturalisis, generally, ~
such quantities and at such prices as will
admit OF its use as a manure, for the rtstor-
alton of the soil. II may be applied in va.
rlous ways; but that which has been
found best is to spread il on a grass sod,
soon after il is saked, and while in state
Of fine powder. This part Of The process
10 more essential than ut first view may
occur to casual observers. If the lime be
permitted to get so wet, after being slak
ed, as to form Jumps, it will do but little
good as will appear more plainly from
what we shall say presently. The lime
should, as general rule, be spread in the
fall, that il may lie through the winter to
be dissolved by the cold raiEs--lime pos
sessng the singular property, perhaps dill
ferent from any other substance, Of being
dissolved moro readily in COLI than in
warm water.
1t requires. think, about GOO pounds
oil cold water to dissolve one pound Of lime
hence the improperly of putting large
quantity on the soil at once, as a consl-
derable portion would in that case, By alb.
sorbing carbonic acid lromthe atmosphere,
become what il 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 recon
mend the application of but so bushels at
once, which quantity may be repeated I'm.
til the requisite fertility is obtained. Let
1t be observed that | speak of unslaked
lime when | mention these quantities.
lt@ould not be proper to attempt 10
line more than one field a year, and but
few can accomplish that, if the field be
lr5e. In-that way the profits, deriyable
tom lining, will, after the first year, near
ly cover the expenses or at any rate
they will greatly assist in the operation.
Let no one, however, be too sluguine
Of great and immediate profits they will
come somewha, slow but sure. In some
instances tho advantages Of lining have
been made in such an almost lmpercepti~
bic manner that farmers have been dis
couragod. Generally, however, those
who have used lime are pleased, and re
gret that they have not the means Of do
ing It more extensively.
lime, like al other alkaline manure,
should be kept some time on the surface,
for tho purpose above mentioned, that il
may be dissolved, and that the soil may
become saturated with the ley. 1t should
rot be wet and lumpy when spread, or it
Will not be dissolved but become a carbo-
nate, and do but little good. 1t never
loses any thing by evaporation, and in
that respect it is unlike the two former
kinds Of manure, which we have noticed.
Some eight or ten years ago, Mr.. Mel
son, Of this county, commenced lining his
land at an expense Of twenty dollars per
acre. He was one Of the first, perhaps
the very first, and his neighbors thought
he was crazy. They found, however, in
few years, when a field Of twenty acres
produced four hundred barrels Of corn,
that is 1000 bushels Of shelled corn, that
there was "metho1 in his Madness"
As !. regards the price at which fan
mer can afford to use lime rs manure,
II must be regulated By the price of wheat.
According to my estimate, bushel OF
wheat should pay for five or six bushels
OF lime, delivered on tho farm.
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