Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-06-07

eve the fact is established, tllls more llfllc
required to produce the same beneficial effect on1
soils resting on limestone rock, than upon those
OVERLAPPING gneiss, and perhaps some other prinli-
tive rocks.
have had no opportunity to witness the effect
of lime upon secondary, and strictly allucaal,
formations but the circumstances have led me
to suspect, that the same quantity OF lime would
not be SO signaly beneficial in secondary, as it
is in certain primitive formations.
Lime undoubtedly has good effect in soils
which are sandy, even where sand predominates;
but believe its melioratng properties are most
conspicuous in a clay soil, or rather in a stiff
loam. A good proportion of decomposed vege-
table matter adds greatly to the beneficial effects
Of lime; and hence our farmers are desircus to
mingle as much barn-yard manure as possible
with their lime dressings to get their fields
into what is called a good sod. or turf.-full of
grass roots Then a dressing of lime has an
admirable effect.o The soils indicated by
natural growth of black oak, (quercus tinctoria,)
walnut, (jugZans nigra,} and poplar, itirioden-
d,on, ,)-anl those in which such grasses the
peas and testucas best flourish, are generally
most signally benefited by the Use Of lime. In
short, may observe, that lime has been found
more or less beneficial in every description of
soil in this district.
1t is most so on hilly or rolling lands, where
clay predomnates, less permanently SO among
the mica slate-and least of all on the magne-
sian rocks. The soil on tle3e last is rarely worth
cultvating.
Query 2.-"Mhat quantity Of lime is applied
to the acre. upon different soils, at single dress
ing and during period of years 2"
Answer.-The quantity of lime, per acre.
which can be used aavantageousiy, varies with
the condition and original character OF the soil.
Highly improved land will bear a heavier dress
ing than poor land On soil of medium con-
dition the usual dressing is 40 to SO bushels per
acre. A deep, rich soil, or limestone land in
the great valley will receive 70 to so land
am told even lOO) bushels to the acre with ad-
vantage. On very poor land, 20 to 80 bushels
per acre is deemed most advantageous to COM
mence with. | is usually repeated every five OF,
six years. e., every time the field comes in
turn to be broken up with the plough; and as
the land improves the quantity of lime is in
creased. The prevailing practice here is, to
plough down the sod, or ley, in the fall or early
in the spring-harrow it once-and then spread
the lime previously slaked to a powler) pre-
paratory to planting the field with Indian corn
Every field, in rotation, receives this KIND OF
DRESSING and as our farms are mostly divided
into about half dozen fields, the dressing Of
course comes once in six years, more or less, ac-
cording to the number Of the fields. Some en-
terprising farmers, however, give their fields an
Intermediate dressing, on the sod, after they come
into grass, which l consider an excellent prac-
tice,-tending rapidly to improve the condition
Of the land
Query 3.-''Is it applied in a caustic or in an
cffete state?"
Ansmer.-It is usually obtained in a caustic
state from the kiln,-dcposited in heaps in tie
field where it is. to be spread, and water, suili-
cient to slake it to powder, is then thrown
upon it, AS soon as slaked it is loaded into
carts, and men with shoves distribute it as
equally as possible over the ground, 1t is gen
orally considered best to put it on tho ground
*The yard manure is not Usually mingled with
the lime, when the latter is first applied. The prao
tice is to lime the Indian corn ground, prior to
planting that grain, on the inverted sod.-or to re-
serve the manure until the succeeding autumn, and
apply it to the oheat crop. 1t is not well settled
which of these is the better practice Each has its
advocates: but it is most usual to reserve the ma
nltc for the wheat.