American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-01-23


nent of this kind be required, it is laid
On at the rate of FROM 400 to 1000 bush
els to an acre But some chalks contain
much more clay than others, and are en-
ployed, therefore, in smaller proportions,
For the improvement of coarse, sour,
marshy pasture, it is applied at the rate
of from $50 to 250 bushels to an acre.
and speedily bring up a sweet and deli
cate herbage 1t is also said to root ou!
sorrel from lands which are infested with
this plant. These effects are precisely
such as usually follow from the applica
ton Of mari, and, like mari, the repeti,
tion of chalk exhausts the land, if ma
nure be not afterward added to it in suf-
fcient quantity.
Application Of a;nle 10 Land.-lt has
already been observed that lime, from its
nature, must act botl as u stimulant and
as manure, while it makes the earth
exert itself in the nourlshment Of veg
etables, in some measure, enriches it,aud
adds TO the vegetable food. In some
lands, the dissolving of the vegetable
food, and fitting it for entering the root.
let's of plants, may be most benefcial.-
In Others, the communication of the pow
er Of attracting the vegetable fool from
the air may have an equally good effect.
1t will not be improper, therefore. to
point out how lime is to be applied, so
that it may chiefly answer oIe or the
other of these purposes
In uncultivated land, in WHICH there
Is large quantity Of vegetable remains,
lime ought to be used chiefly as stimu.
lus aud when improved land needs a
recruit of vegetable food, it ought chief
Iy be used as a manure. When thus
intended as a stimulus, large quantity
should be applied at once, in an unslak-
ed or half slaked state for it takes
considerable quantity to dissolve rootlets,
and other vegetable substances in the soil
and to produce the necessary degree Of
fermentation. When intended as a ma>
nure, a small quantity applied at time
is sufficient. 1t is probable that it re
quires only small quantity of lime to
impregnate large quantity Of earth and
communicate to it an absorbent quality
in as high degree as it is capable of
receiving; and it is certain that it is in
proportion to the absorbent power which
it communicates, that the soil is enriched
by it, This is not mere conjecture. 1t
is certain that shall quantity of lime
will impreguate large quantity Of water,
and communicate to IT all its virtues, and
these in as high degree, too, as it is ca
pable of receiving.
The benefit to be derived from lime
greatly depends, however, upon the na>
turc and the state of the soil Stroug
lands are much improved, for two or three
crops, by this stimulant; but frequent
will not have the same good
effect, unless the land il the interim has
been placed under clover or other green
crop, by which vegetable matter will be
in troduced for the lime to act upon
The deficiency of vegetable matter in
light soils is one reason Why lime does
not always act upon them benefcially !;
aud it should therefore be used very
sparingly on these soils, with an interval
of six or seven years between each lin,
ing. Indesd, il is often as necessary to
change the mode Of manuring land. as it
is to change the crops to be cultivated
and it is from not sufficiently attendin
to this, that arabic farms have become
deteriorated, whist the farmer fancied
that he was doing great justice to the
land by lining every third or fourth year
But let the introduction of a green crop
e tried in such a case, and he will af
terward find that his grain croRs increase
and his land is in better heart.
Some persons think, fir ON witnessing
its first effects, that they can always have
recourse to lime with the same success
but in this, they will assuredly be disap-
pointed; once in FIVE, six, or seven years.
according to the nature of the land, is as
,ften as lime can be applied with advan-
age.
1t may be proper to observe, likewise,
hat, when lime is applied in small guam
titles, as manure, it is necessary to re-
peat the application frequently; it is
probable that the soil loses its absorbent
property communicated by the lime; for
experience proves that, if lime is fire.
luently used, it must be applied as |
and not simply as stimulant
ind to this end, it must be compounded |
With earth, clay, and Other matter, to
which 1t communicates its stimulating
qualities, whilst its fertilizing effects are
harehv auumantad T.. AZ. -. :.