The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-12-14
AGRICULTURAL.
Lime.
EFrom the Ohio Farmer.]

= :
IS Lime.
: Most Of our farmers are in the habit Of
using lime, but from the misappropriation
81 i, or manner Of application, or state of
the lime, do not realize one-half the benefit
they ought to from, its use. One part OF a
arm may need il; the other not Expert
ments should be made by every farmer on
different fields, to ascertain its Effects
General rules may be given-such as that
lime should be used literally whore the
Soils sour, clay or peat, and sparingly
used on sandy. gravelly or thin soils, un-
less they contain considerable amount
Of suIphuric acid, indicated by iron in the
soil or stone.
. Take q field composed Of catswamps
and gravelly knobs, as is often the case.
and treat the whole alike would be as in
appropriate as to giyeSthe same food to
POUR children and horses. Put lime on
thss swamps. and leached ashes on the
knobs.
The condition Of the lime. and the man
ner OF applying It, are also Of great inpor
tance in calculating the results to be de-
rived from il. In its natural state it is
Usually carbqrate-that is, il consists Of
56f parts carbon, and 43A Of carbonic ac
ID, to 100 parts Of the mineral.
: The attraction Of these parts for each
other Is what gives hardness to limestone.
Burn it and the acid escapes, when ii is
called quick lime. Let it remain exposed
tothe atmosphere, and il will absorb water,
slacks, falls into an apparent dry powder.
end Is then called the hydraie Of lime. In
this form il is used for agricultural pur-
poses. The acid must be expelled before
\ can be used to advantage for agricultural
purposes. Il should be used as soon as
il slacks. as Its strength will soon escape.
The best way to apply ii is to sow j. on
field Of clover that is about to be plowed
hi.
{ Aoting upon the clover It produces the
gases which give life and yigor to the soil
If il is required to give body to the whea,
kernel, sowit with the wheat, and harrow
both in together. II should never be com.
bined with manure. unless it is to be plow.
cd in Immediately, as ii sets free the am.
aaoria, which is the source of fertility, and
4 IS wasted in the air.
Particularly necessary is lime on pea
muck or bog sscamps. This kind Of land
contains resinous matter, which acts as an
aatieep.ic. or preserving principle TO the
vegetable matter. To aid nature in di
gesting this vegetable matter, lime is al
important agent. II combines with th,
resin. and forms soap, and the fiber :!,er
decays as fast as any other vegetable mat
Ter. S .es
II lime cannot be had, deep sub-soi
plowing will answer for few years near
y AZ we'll; as it brings up the native lin,
which nature has literally distribute,
throughout the whole earth. When ex
haustedo on The surface, it must be supple,
from abroad, or brought from below, wher'
vegetation has not yet reached it.
But soils also require other preparation
of lime. II sulphuric acid be absent,
wants sulphate Of lime, or plaster. Thel
! put on bushel Of plaster to the acre.
If ithas become exhausted by raisinI
stock on it, it needs phosphate Of lime. I
furnish material for bones. Save all tn
old bones that can be procured, reduc
them to powder, and give your land 9
least three bushels TO the acre. One col
takes as much phosphate Of lime from tn
soil, in . year. as is supplied by eighty-tw
pounds of bone dust. A farmer, then, I
keep his cows and land in good ordel
must spread eighty two pounds of bon
dust to every COW, on his pastures. Tn
want Of this is the reason why milk mer
living near cities, have to thicken their mil
with chalk-itlacks phosphate oflime. |
every twenty gallons Of good milk there
an ounce Of phosphate Of lime, and if COW
Are kept in stables where they cannot g
it,or on land where ithas become exhaus
ed, lhe milk is but water filtered through
COW. shildren raised on it lack the mt
tsrial fof bones, which is the cause Of III
puny race Of young ones in our cities.
L. v. BIERoE.