Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-07-23

~ NO. 30.
Some authorities, as Warnings Elements Of Ae-
with much plausiblity, urge the use. of slime;
and salt mixture ascon.aining more valuable quail
tiles, both for manuring and digesting, than lime
Itself. This mixture is obtained by slaking fresh
burnt lime with water thoroughly saturated With
salt, using the materials in the proportion of three
bushels Of lime to, one Of salt The lime deconi-
poses the salt, giving us chloride of lime and car
Donate of soda both valuable agents IN promoting
the fertility Of the soil. To secure the more per-
should not all be applied at once, but at intervals
of day or two, in order to give time for the chan
ges to take place more thoroughly; and even after,
the shaking is completed, ten or twelve days should
elapse before the mixture is used. There can be
no doubt of the value of this compound, especial
ly in cases where salt would be desirable manure
on its own account. .ao;,
For evident reasons lime, when intended to BEN
eft the land generally, should always be as evenly
distributed, and asa thoroughly incorporated with
the soil as possible It should not however, be
pIowed in very deeply as has naturally aeon.I
slant tendency to descend in the soil and because,
also, while near the surface il s moreeaay reachr
ed by the air, which is essentialto those digestive
functions which constitute its chief palue.i9Is IS,
| When quick-ime is added in large quantities 10
soils naturally wet and which have not been suf6-'
ciently drained, the lime may form into mortar.
and become hardened to such degree as to OBJ,
struct the free passage of water and air. as vel as
of the roots of the plants. Under such circum;
stances, of course, the Ye would be an injury and
the remedy for the evil, thorough draining. On
1sc6k nd kobI
matter, matt heavy application Of pure lime would
also prove injurious by renderingihe land too open,
and by its chemical effects causing the crop to-
"burn'' as it is called. In each of these cases, f
the lime be added in well composted state; all
the evil consequences are at once averted, at the
same time that additional supplies of warmth and
nourishment are given to stimulate the growth Of
vegetation. Indeed, the opinion is maintained by,
some that lime may be indefinitely added without
injury, provided We, at tho same time, proportion
ally increase the organic elements Of the SOIL
Whether this be correct or not it is certainly true
that what is ordinarily spoken Of as the exhausing
effect of lime is only the effect of the larger crops
which it causes the soil to yield, and which, Of
course requires more of the elements Of the soil
for its growth and maturity-what Is needed -un-
der such circumstances is not less lime, but more.
organic food 1t frequently has happened that
even so valuable fertilizer as lime has been vhol
y abandoned in particular localities in consequence
Of unskilful applications, or ,hasy nferences from
partial experiments. Of course where nature a.
bundantly supplies the soil with this important
element, artificial additions would be waste of time
and money. So, in like manner, when lime is ap.
Piled as in some parts Of England, at the rate Of
from 40 to 60 bushels to theacre at the end Of each
rotation of crops, embracing period of or s.
years, it would be no argument against the mode;l
rate use of this agent, if after lapse Of; years
these large additions should produce no sensiblsI
effects whatever in consequence Of the soil having
become fully saturated. ,And,> again, the time
which is required for uncomposted lime TO take itss
effect upon the soil is fruitful source of diseour-
agement and often Of the abandonment, Of; this
porting his results for the FIRST year writes ap,
piled 100 bushels (of lime) to the acre on corn,
stubble and planted again in corn, but saw very
little profit to the CROP. A. Interference to the sameS
soil and the same Inning at thee eut Of the third
year he writes ''For the past two seasons have
moved the finest of grass" Lime, though most
efficient and valuable fertilizer, is slow in develop.
ing its finest results-indeed it scarcely exhibits
fully its true character, unless when applied in the
composted state, till the second or third year after
its apl i,ation. '#| " - ~. @5..-I
Lime is also distinguished for the permanence Of
its effects as fertilizer. There is known to chem:
for the want Of better name, by which one sub.
stance while in the presence Of another is induced
or influenced to enter into combinations which it
would not form in the absence Of the Influencing
BODY This is the nature of many of the changes
brought about in the soil by lime, and it is by vir
tue Of this disposng power that it continues to act
and retain its peculiar qualities as fertilizer. Ibe
permanence of its action is further increased by
its slight solubiity; at the ordinary temperature it
Il n J, oc aoe
lime even in the caustc state, and still less can be
dissolved after it has been acted by the carbonic
acid of the air. Thus it remains for a long time
in the soil performing its important Offices It IS
said to produce sensible effects upon the crop at
ter the lapse of 20 or 80 years. and some insist that
good supply, once added to the soil, never Who'll.
ly ceases to be felt This persistence in the effects
Of lime is high merit, and one which insures to
the farmer sooner or later, if judciously used, an
ample interest upon his Investments --
We have already seen that when lime is to be
applied in the slaked condition, except in the case
Of stiff clays or rich vegetable mould it should be
slowly "air.saked" because in the latter case, it
is not only more completely pulverized but also Of
mider character, as the caustic quality Of about
one half of it is neutralized by combination with
the carbonic acid of the air. AS q labor-saving
consideration, this shaking process should take
place in the field, since, thereby, from one fourth
to one-half of the weight, and large increase Of
the bulk, caused by the slaking, will be savedfrom
transportation. ,, ....i. .r,.... -. aag-. s,.
To effect this it may be piled up in heaps and
covered with earth in the field, and left till it COM
pletey crumbles to powder: the covering of earth
protects it from heavy rains which might convert
it into mortar, and also from too free access Of air
which tends to change it back into the state in
which it was before it was burnt When prepared
for distribution this may be accomplished by draw
ing it out from cart into little heaps, from five
to seven yardsapar and in quantities proportioned
to the amount we desire to apply per acre, after
which it can be evenly scattered. Some to accom-
psh the distribution more regularly, check of the
land into little squares of convenient size, and ap-
ply given quantity to each square. ,-..
Lime, then, is useful to the farmer, as 6od for
his crop-as digester of the animal, vegetable,
and mineral manules in his soil--as an absorbent,
indirectly, of valuable manures from the atmos-
phere-as neutralizer Of injurious acids and 9th.
er injurious compounds pulverizer Of his stiff
clay soils, and as general stinulant which i'm
both the quantityand quality Of his produce
The quantity of lime to be used depends on the
character of the soil-on the abundance of organic
matter-on the kind of cultivation the charac-
ter of the climate-on the quantity already present
in the SOIL and on the cost of lime in the market
where it is used.