Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-11-06
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Dr.. VIM. DARLlseroN, Of Chester Coun-
ty, Pa. in his admirable address before the
Philadelphia Society for the Promotion Of
Agriculture" in 1874, makes thee following
judicious remarks relative to the use OF lime as
amanufe: 81
s The farmer, then, must go earnest
~ to work, to perform the duties of his
department. The first step is TO enrich
his land: and this, as have minated,
IS the best accomplished by ploughing
no more ground than he can thorough
~ manure. TO accumulate manure
must, therefore, be leading object
The enlightenment of manure beng We
getable matter, the production OF that
material, on exhausted soils, is neces-
sarlly slow and tedious; but we have
found a powerful and valuable auxilia-
y, IN that process, in the application
oflime. This mineral, iudiciously APP
piled, is known to be highly favorable
10 the growth of the natural family of
grasses, and especially of the more val
liable species OF that family. By an in
crease Of those grasses, we are enabled
20 keep more numerous stock, and
hereby 10 augment the quantity ofbarn
yard manure. This increase OF manure
enhances the beneficial influences of
'he lime; for lime has ever the best eff
'ectsfn conjunction with anure,-and
The dose ofthat mineral may BE- gadnal
~ heavier, as the soil becomes richer.
Thus these important agents may be
made to cooperate with augmented
efficacy, as the work Of improvement
advances. The calcarious dressings
promote the increase of vegetable mat
ter; and by that very increase, their a.
gency is rendered still more effective
and salutary: so that what the Roman
poet says of the progress of rumor, or
fame, may be literally applied to the
use Of lime, in agriculture
''vires acquirH eundo."
"The application Of lime for the i'm.
provement of the land is, perhaps, more
universal, and its advantages better ap-
preciated among the farmers Of Chester
county, than in any other district of our
country. The practice there for many
years, has been to apply quick lime
Stacked SO as to reduce it to powder
on the grounds which have been pre-
pared for Indian corn. This was long
supposed to be the appropriate time
for applying it and it is still generally
observed; but experience has demon
strated, that the application never
comes amiss,-that it is beneficial at
all times, and the maxim now is, to
be sure and put 1t on, some time in the
year. Oflatter years some of our best
farmers have adopted the practice of u
sing lime as a top dressing, on their
meadows and pasture grounds-for ev-
cry field, in its turn, becomes a mead
cao, after the wheat crop:-and l am
strongly inclined to the opinion that
this will be found the most advantage
GUS mode of applying it. 1t mingles
directly with the dead vegetable mat
ter on the surface, and thus, as | sup
pose, improves the quality of that re-
fuse herbage, as manure. 1t moreo-
yer exerts a salutary influence upon the
turf, or sod, in stiff clay soil, by mel
lowing lt--and otherwise improves its
condition. Another advantage atten-
ding top dressings of lime on grass
lands, is, that they can be applied at
the seasons of greatest leisure and con-
yenince to the farmer. On the whole,
therefore, ] believe this method entitled
to the preference; or, at least, is wor-
Thy OF the consideration of practical ag-
riculturists. Indeed, there is every rea-
son to believe that top dressing-even
Of the driest and ightest manures, or
ofstraw, itself, produces more signal
effect upon the growth Of the valuable
grasses, than results from the same ma
terials when buried BY the plough;
and the subject deserves further inves-
tigation.
'The quantity Of lime employed in
agriculture, on a given surface, should
be regulated by the qu0lityof the soi!.-
On sterile, or exhausted lands, where
the vegetation is scant, the dressing
should be at first light, yet gradually
increased, as the soil improves. Thir-
y bushels TO the acre, equally distribu-
led, may be sufficient at the COM
mencemenf: but, as vegetable matter
aecumulates, the quantity of lime may
De enlarged by degrees, to sixty or
eighty bushels to the acre. Some of
he best Chester county farms will bear
even one hundred bushels per acre with
advantage; and j: is remarkable that
The very soil that oyerlies the limestone
rock, will bear the heaviest dressings Of