Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-03-31
AGRICULTURAL.
Lime as a Manure aad Stimulant.

solution Of lime. The chemical effects of
burning lime, is. that the water and carbon
ic acid gass is driven of. which amounts to
about IS per cent. After having peen ex-
posed to the atmosphere. the car5onic acid
of the air is again absorbed by the lime.
which reduces it to the state OF chalk. or
carbonate. If taken up by plants before it
becomes a carbonate, the charcoal and OK
ygen Astounding in all plants. Immediately
converts it into one. Csustic lime applied
to stiff clayey soil, reduces hard Vegetable
matter, into state of easy and rapid de-
composition When lime takes the chalk
form, II furnishes matter requisite to sup
ply the inorganic structure to plants. grown
in its vicinity. As all soils are benefited
by using mild lime, you can scarcely ever
go amiss, in Its application, upon any spe-
cies OF land. as every crop you grow upon
1t, that requires lime, will rapidly lessen
the quantity in the soil. Nitrate of limo
Is produced In the earth or soil by lime. as
ii decomposes the earth, rendering 1t sum
cientiy soluable to enter the roots OF plants.
Plants have as capricious an appetite, for
its mineral fool As a human being has for
his food. and If nature does not supply it
sufficiently in the soil, or II we do not step
in, and furnish t. it furnishes and dies
The application of lime to the soil i, OF
high antiquity, and its utility is such. as
has been recognized in almost every coun-
try in which agriculture has obtained much
sminence; and certainly. it has been more
largely aud extensively used a. a fertilizer
from very remote period. than any other
mineral substance. that has ever been made
available in practical husbantry Cato de-
scribes with much minuteuess. he best
means of preparing it for the soil. and
Pliny attests to the use Of lime by the
RD nm cultivators as dressing for the
eoil, In which fruit trees were grown. Il
was also applied with equal success by the
Arabs in Spain. Hence is it not reasona-
bic to suppose, or may it not be inferred
that what has been good in all ages past
il good at the present time. that il acts in
twp ways; one as stimulant. that pro-
notes vegetation. By causing the soil. with
which it i mixed to exert itself and thu
other in promoting the growth Of trees.
and p'al.S by cnrithn- the land A. 4 ma
nure, aud adding to the quantity of yege-
table food. By others. it Is looked upon
IN chemical, and medicinal point of view
acting as correetor or decompo>er. OF
certain parts of animal vegetable. and
mineral substances. contained in the soil
The purposes served by lime A. a vhemi-
cal constituent of the soil. are at least. Of
four distinct kinds. namely: Frs il SUP
plies kind OF inorganic food which ar
pears to he necessary to the healthy growth
or all cultivated plants. Secondly. it ncu-
fralizes acid substances. which are most
naturally formed in the soil. and decom-
poses, or render harmless. other noNious
compounds. that are not unfrequenily with
in the reach of the roots of the plants
Thirdly ii changes the inert vegetable
matter in the soil, SO as 10 gradually rem
der it useful to vegetation Fourthy. Il
causes facilitates. or enables other useful
compounds, both organic, or inorganic to
be produced in the soil. or promotes the
decomposition of existing compounds. 20
as TO prepare them more speedily for en-
tering into the circulation of plants
Quick lime, is of an alkaline or basic ma
ture, like potash and soda. Bodies Of Thu
kind form the chemical oppositeS. to those
or an acid nature, that is. they deprive
them of their sour taste, and their acid
properties and actions in general. when
they combine with them. while on their
own side, they give up their basic proper
ties. For instance, from the most corro-
sive hydro-chlor;de acid. and the most
caustic soap-boilers ley arises a compound
which no longer tastes sharp and cauSIic.
but mildly saline, namely, common table
salt. Their natural resignation and deiiy-
ering up of their characteristic properties
which occurs in all cases when alkaline
base meets with an acid. is called neutra-
lzation. and new products, arising from
the two is termed salt. Lime is not mere
iy base but very strong base. and can
extract from the weaker Gqses occurring III
the soil. the acids with which tn are al
ready combined; it acts as a solvent on
mineral substan 1es il causes for instance.
All unlocking OF the mineral constituents
of the soil the products of whca. silica.
potash, alas nesla. sulphur and soda. can
ta-I De consu ned a. food, By plants grow
Ing upoa il. Experience proves. that linn
Ing pree nnenty favor> the formation oI
hiui-n, and gives the straw of the cereals
great ,t.fles>. is explained in this simple
ilaalef; IL Is NOT the lime simply. which
produces This. Dat the min raj substances
rem tered soluble, aId therefore assllnila-
bic BY The H.ne, above all the silica. The |
results OF these experiments. at the same
time, couiir the correctness OF the opin- |
ION, thai the farmer need not pay any at |
tention To silica in manuring since il exists |
almost every where in sufficient quantity |
In tie SOIL, but need only take care that
there shall not be a deficiency OF il, SOL
vents Thus lime is powerful agent in
assisting the oxygination or wcathering o
stony and earthly constituents of the soil.
it therefore forms all aid to those bodies.
anu forces sucn as air, water. carbonlc
acid, heat &c, which carries on this pro-
cess of decomposition every where. in act
ing Independently of human Interference
1t forms necessary constituent of all
plants, if not present in sufficient quantity
in the soil, the growth of vegetation will
be much impaired. According to some ex-
periments made in England lime is sup
posed to increase the power of earth. to
absorb ammonia from the atmosphere, and
to contribute indirectly, by the decompo-
sition of ammoniacal salts in the soil, to
anxitation Of ammonia by the clay and sill
ca. It has been observed, that the devel-
Opements of plants proceed somewhat