The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-01-18
aasSs z1gJ|zsa & sg'gy.sa I y ssls 4 I Ii.
From the ,soilof the, South. 3!
,H'sRc pase of Lime as a I'ertIii.

;,TsRc sase of Lime :es a Eertiii-
We are remiuaaea bya letter re.
Gently received from subscriber in
y Lowndes county, Georgia, that we
had omitted (unintentionally) to an
/ ever some inquiries propoulded by
himself, as. to the application lime.
The manner of using, how, when,
and in what quantities it should be
appliedl?' We learn that these
Iandssproducc corn very freely, but
notFcotton- and that it is with hope
Is cure this defect that the inquiry
is made. The time Of application
tor this purpose should be, VIC would
i say. when the first preparations are
made for planting the crop: and this
should be done by sowing the lime
4 broadcast upon the land, that it with
we getable matter upon the sur
face, may be turned under, aud in.
corporated together. The more veg
etable matter, the better for the ac-
lion ofthc lime; and this ought to be
done in the fall, it possible--ii not,
S early in tho winter. Ihc quantity
Il TO be used is so dependent upon tie
atcharacter and situation of the land,
that it would be impractic#blc to
give any definite instructions which
would suit all cases. The necessity
for its nse, as VIC shall Show hcreal.
ter, as well as the benefits to he de-
rived from lis application, are varied
not only by the character Of the soil,
So but by the situation, rs to its wetnesS
or dryncss. These arc all to be ta
ken into the account, and we know
not that We can render better ser.
vice now than to lay down general
principles for the government of our
correspondent--lea him to make
the application, and learn, by q few
iSEtests, for himself, the doses which his
fields may bcar-advising in the be,
ginning the use OF small quantities,
say from one to three bushels to the
acre, and increase the quantity as it
3 may be asccrtained to be necessary
This is perhaps the most iudicious,
and I learn the safest method Of
procedure, even when the requisite
amount which the lands will bear, is
well asccrtaincd by analytical exam
ination. Begin in smaller quantities,
and add more i'll subsequent years.
So little has been done in Georgia,
in the use Of lime as ieltiiizcr, and
with our varying and peculiar soils,
climates and crops, We shall have,
5&by actual experiments, to find ont
for ourselves much Of what may meet
all these demands. There are, how,
ever, some general principles which
we give, by which to guide in it's use.
i Lime is considered to be an essential
ingredient to the perfect production
of all soils being constantly needed
by plants in all their parts, and PER
forming other functions of great i'm
po,tance- such as tightening and
mellow:ng stiff clays, ncutralizing ard
decomposlng injurious acid suossan
ces, and holding in solution much
valuable food for the plant. 1t cx.
lists in three forms, quick lime, by.
drate or Stacked lime and air Stacked
or mild lime. A distinguished prac.
.tical chemist says: "lf the soil be
stiff and coll--it'it it is newly drained,
containing much Of acIi organic
compounds, or if there arc tough Oh,
stinate grasses, it is best 10 apply
quick lime or the canstc hydlutr.
IN. either of these conditions 1t has
most beneficial and energetic action.
scanstic lime is applied largely to
light soils, it may do harm by too
rapidly dccomposing the organic
4 matter, usually scarce i'll soils OF this
description. In all such cases, and
Il generally when it is not wished to
produce such effects as the above,
mild or air Stacked lime is The best.
-atEhe action Of all varieties is invaria.
u bly, more marked and permancnt up-
/. on drained or thoroughly dry lands.
than upon that which is wet and
swampy. All these various states
) Of lime act not only upon the orsm-
ic matter in the soil, but upon tic in.
organic also-dccompcsing certain
indiss0lube compounds, amu bringing
them into a state favorable to tic
sustcnance OF plants. Thus We sec
that this manure performs many
most important functions.
cit has constant tendency to
sink in the soil; and in one that has
been heavily lined for many years,
quite a layer Of it exists in The sub,
soil. This may be brought up by
deep ploughing; or is made aYaIlablc
by drains, which permit the roots to
40 down. When applied as top
dressing it should III almost every
case be mild; and also when used III
4 2potnnnats where aniIlal Inaruro IL