The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-04-03
farmer prprtnltn!.
LIME. AND ITS USE In AGRICUL-
TURE.

stances IN nature-USed eS CaDOnatt,
consisting of 56t parts of carbonate, and
ABB parts of carbonic acid, in 100 Of the
mineral. In burning, the acid escapes
IN the form of steam. Il is then quick
lime. After exposure to the atmosphere,
it absorbs water, Stacks, and falls into
an apparent dry powder: it is then by
drate OF lime, and is in the form in which
it is used for agricultural purposes. 1t
is the most valuable when used directly
after it has fallen into powder. II long
exposed to rains and dews before being
spread upon the land, it loses great
portion of its fe:tilizing powers, which
principally consists in its action upon
vegetab e matters, causing them to de-
compose, and in its utralizng power
upon acids, which abound in some soils
The Quaan!y Of Lime to tile Ncre.-
In Great Britain from 100 TO 400 bush
ellis are applied at once, at intervals of
ten, fifteen or nineteen years the terms
which leases run. In this country, the
most common practice is to apl ly 30 or
40 bushels once in three Years, which
is the preferable mode. We have 81 ell it
applied with good effect, however, at the
rate of 500 bushels to the acre. This
was upon a very stiff, Geld clay. Three
hundred bushels would be about ten tons
to the acre. Ten inches depth of soil
wouold weigh about 1000 tons. That
would give one per cent OF lime. "A
case is reported in England, of soil
upon which, 100 bushels Of lime had
been used, being analyzed, which appa-
rentlv contained the same component
parts as that along side, which had not
been limcd for great number of years.
yet the lined land produced 20 tons to
the acre, while the unimed portion
only produced two tons, tops and all.
This was uron red sandstone land.
One Of the effects of lime is, it gives the
soil power to absorb ammonia from the
atmosphere, and retain that which is
discngaged by the decomposition OF veg
ctabe matter and manure in the soil
Hence the importance of applying lime
With green crops, or using coarse manure
with the line.
JndicntiopS Of want Of Lime in the
Soil, may be seen in heavy crops Of
straw, and light crops of grain; and in
root crops where they seem to run to
fingers and toes. Experiments should
be made by every farmer with lime,
upon various crops in all his fields, TO
ascertain whether lime would be benc-
fetal to him. Very few places wall be
found where it will not be SO.
10 mhat Soils IS Lime Hpplicoblc?-
Every clay soil, every peaty soil, and
every soil in which vegetable fiber does
not readily decay, because that Is 81 gn
that it contains some antiseptlc acid,
which prevents decay. This is the case
with peat beds and swamps. Sandy,
graveIlv, or thin soils, may be overturned
and injured; because, IN causing the de-
cay of vegetables, il sets free the am
monia, the very substance Of fertility re-
quired. 70 prevent this, more food
must be given for the lime to act upon.
No farmer, who knows what the action
Of lime is, upon all SOILS, will ever do
without 1t, as an accessory to his manure.
1t is a component part OF all crops grown
by the farmer. When applied to land
which had not borne wheat for many
years, it has at once been found to re-
muncrate the farmer using it.
Use Of Lime wM Peat.-The slow
decomposition of peat is an objection to
its use BY the term, we mean all swamp
muck, partaking more or less Of that
character All peat contains resinous
matter, which prevents decomposition.
BY adding lime, the resin is combined
and forms soap, and the fiber then de-
Gays as rapidly as any other vegetable
substance.
Lime in the Soil Many farms which
once produced good crops of wheat be-
cause there was lime enough in the soil
to supply the requisite quantity to the
grain, have ceased to be productive.
They still produce large supply OF
straw, but not remunerating crop of
grain. In some instances, such lands
have been restored to their former fer
tlity without applying bushel of lime.
DO you ask how! Simply by blowing
deeper. In the hard, untouched and
unexhausted subsol, there was plenty
of lime lying bid, which only wanted
stirring up and exposing to the action of
the atmosphere, and bringing within
reach of the roots of the plants, to pro-
duce the same effect originally derived
from the topsoil before it was exhausted.
Our constant advice will be to use lime,
pillow deep, subsoil and drain stiff lands,
and thus increase your crops, and grow
rich.