Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-07-25
A6ayGu9Gd394,
lime and salt Mixture.

rod so often, that we feel very much as we
synnose Bill Lackaday to have felt when SO
often describing his Christmas piece; but al
most weekly we are receiving letters asking
bo,v swamn muck, river mud, leaf-mouid, /
weeds. wooJs-earth, and other Materials con |
t.ining large amounts of organic matter de-
,,o,,roso5 and we as often advise the use OF
Lime and Salt Mixture so frequently descFl- |
he'd in our columns. This simply brings an
other letter, asking description of the Lime
and salt mixture, the manner OF treatment
Get Two such letters are now before US
We will res.ate and we hope for the last
.;n,e that the lime and salt material should be |
tbus made To three bushels Of shell lime, !
hot from kiln-by which we mean peFiectlE
,o,s,;c upslackei-add one bushel Of salt,
dissolved in water. and in 10 more water thah
Is nerfectly necessary forts solution, remem-
borinu that cold water will dissolve more salt
than hot. 1t is quite possible that three bush
els of she'll lime will not receive at one appil-
cation all the water required 10 dissolve one
bushel of salt; if so. add what the lime IS ca
p.ple of taking up: the next day the mass OF
I:pe will bc-found to be comparatively dry'
and the rest of the salt aud water may then
he added. The lime and salt mixture should
not he considered as made, when the two arc
simpIv mixed together. for the chemical
changes should occur, one of the requirements
of which IS time, aud anGthe contact with the
.t,,,osnI,ere. This mass should be turned
over frequently, and always protected from
the weather, because as fastas chemical chan'e
occurs. the new compound becomes soluble IN
wafer. and must, therefore, be protected from
the rain
Salt is composed of chloride and soda; the
lime seizcs hold of the chloride, forming
chloride of limo, the soda being set free, takes
carbonic acid from the atmosphere, and be-
comes carbonate of soda Both of these salts
are favorable to vegetation. And although
lime, In its natural caustic state will not sus-
tain plant, life still as chloride of lime, 1t
not only has functions favorable to the de-
composition of other materials in the soil, but
is itself direct food for plants. This is also
true of carbonate of soda.
Four bushels of this mixture intimately di-
vided, after it has sufficient age, through a
cord of any of its organic wastes we have be-
fore named, viii decompose it thoroughly SO
as to render it fit for admission into the COM
post heap, aud thus become, not only prop
er absorbent for the ammonia arising from
the decomposition of stable manure, but will
by ABSORPTION of the ammonia become per-
fectly available as fertilizer. This value
does not arise from the presence of the ammo
mia as manure. but from the action Of the
ammonia in enabling water to dissolve ou
the inorganic matter which is in a progress
ed form, and ready to be used as pabulum fol
plants. When mixed in the compost, instead
of throwing ont ammonia into the atmospher'
it is capable of absorbing it and of rendering
all inert organic matter capable of assisting II
the retention of heterogeneous products.
The whole theory of action of the chloride
of lime and carbonate of soda, or as familiar
" known, of the lime and salt mixture, MAJ
be better thus understood. Suppose far
mer has dirty corner in a field crowded will
weeds and which he despairs of cleaning b.
the ordinary method; he may top-dress witt
refuse salt in such large quantities as to d'
away with the vegetable growth altogether
destroying weeds and everything else. Th
earth then is for time barren by this exces
i've use of salt. Bus let him top-dress such
corner with lime in a caustic state. after hav
ing used salt upon it in the manner described
and be will find this to be one of the most fer
tile portions of his farm; the salt will be de
composed by the lima, and the result viii b
chloride of lime aud carbonate Of soda, boil
friendly to crops. Suppose as another in
stance the soil be overlimed; they may be en-
tirely recovered aud rendered again fertile b
the use Of salt.
During the reign of George III, the Eng
lish farmers used salt as fortalizer, at fy
shillings sterling Gone dollar federal curren
cy) per bushel. The wise legislators of Nov
York still leave the freight on refuse salt b
the Erie Canal at so high rate that is scare
" removed from Syracuse for agriculture
purposes; whereas the Canal could afford t
carry it without charge, disseminating
throughout its length for the use of farmers
and gain large profit By the freight on tn
increased products which would result fror
its USE, Working Farmer.
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