The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-07-03
The Salt And Lime Mixture.

The mixture is made by dissolving
one bushel Of salt in the least water
possible, and then slaking with this
three bushels of lime hot from the kiln.
This is all the salt that can be used by
this method to slake the lime. The most
valuable lime for agricultural purposes is
shell lime, or that made from burning
oyster or clam shells. Another method
recommended by G. w. johnson is to
mix one bushel of salt with two of lime
dry, under cover, and allow it gradually
to decompose and unite the chlorine of
the salt with the lime. 1t may be turned
occasionally for two or three months, by
which time it will be well united to-
gether. And whatever way is taken to
form the mixture it should not be used
Immediately, but should remain incor-
porated, at least six weeks, that the
chemical union may be we'll formed
The chemical changes that take place are
the chlorine of the salt unites with the
lime, and forms coarse chloride of lime
the soda of the salt is mostly set free,
and probably slowly attracts carbonic
acid from the air, and forms carbonate of
soda. This mixture has a remarkable
decomposing power, and ifyou mix three
or four bushels of it with c)rd Of swamp
muck, leaves, or any vegetable matter, it
will soon be reduced to powder. 1t is
most excellent to mix with coarse manure
for the purpose of decomposing it and
rendering it fine. After the sour muck
from wet places is decomposed by the
salt and lime, 1t is then in ripe condition
to be compostcd with barn-yard manure,
and compost becomes as valuable as the
barn-yard manure alone. Almost every
farm has supply Of muck which might
be turned into valuable manure Hug
manure has been greatly benefited by
mixing with the salt and lime, correcting
its rank character and fitting it for
garden use; but it is, probably, better
that the salt and lime should first be
composted with muck and then applied
to the hog manure. We stated in our
first article on manures, that salt and
lime composted with barn-yard manure
would preserve the ammonia This has
been considered by most, who have used
it, as PRACTICAL correct; but, theoretically.
that sssal! portion of this mixtnre which
becomes carbonate of soda, would be
supposed to dissipate the ammonia, un-
less the chlorine was sufficient to absorb
it all, which is, no doubt generally the
case.
This salt and lime mixture alone makes
an excellent top dressing for most crops,
at the rate of twenty-to thirty bushels
per acre. The character of the lime is
so much changed by the union of the
salt, that there is no danger of injury
from an excessive quantity, and where
land has been over-limed top dressing
VI Soi' VIII CofrecC III at once. lhe
decomposing effect of this mixture upon
vegetable matter in the soil is very great.
Fifty bushels applied to turnip field
has produced as large crop as twenty
loads of the baFn-yard manure, which
could only be accounted for on the
supposition of its dccomposing vegetable
matter in the soil, and rendering it fit
for plant food. 1t is, also, very destruc-
tive of insects, grubs, dc, in the soil.
Like salt, this mixture has the power of
attracting moisture from the air, and has
often been observed to prevent the effects
OF drouth.-Rural Ncu Yorker.
ARTIFICIAL WANTS -Rulwor c,,,