Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-02-11
Lime as a Fertilizer.

a prophet is not without honor save
Ill his own country, is the scriptural
ehunclatlon OF 4 truth applicable to in
animate things as We are to prophets
Whatever is common or cheap Is regard
ed as OF but little intrinsic worth, while
that which Is costly and uncommon is
sought after with cagerness, 1t must he
for this reason that the cheapest and hest
fertilizer within our reach Is so mucb
neglected.
Lime acts i'll two ways as a fertilizer,
|. Mechanically,
=: BY working chemical changes in the
soil.
Among tho mcchanicalc effects of lime
may be mentioned the thorough pulyer.
lzation Of the soil upon which it is
spread. 1t deconposes with rapidity ali
organic tissues, and is especially yalua-
Die when a large quantity OF vegetable
matter is intermiXed with the soil, pro-
noting the slow formation of nitric acid
With which it unites, forming a nitrate
OF lime, which being very Soluble. Is
easily taken up by the roots Ofthe Dlant.
ana produces a healthy and vigorous
growth. 1t promotes also the dccompo-
sltlon of inorganic matter and prepares
it for assimilation by plants. It's chem
lea effects are due to its Alternative prom.
critics. In sour, swampy lands il is espe-
cially valuable, forming Combinations
with the acids and producing Compounds
valuable as plant food. With sand h
forms a silicate of lime, which possesses
great fertilizing properties, as any far
mer may ascertain by observing the
luXuriant growth Induced by spreading
tllc plaster or mortar OF a brick wall
upon the soil. Very many soils possess
eotpperas, or sulphate Of iron, in such
abundance that no vegetation can rrOw.
II upon such soils lime is put, the sul-
phate OF lime or gypsum is formed, and
the peiniciOus effects OF the cOpperas nrn
replaced by u iertllzing compound.
That lime is necessary to the yiporo,,s
growth Of plants may be inferred from
the TACT that red clover, which il orr
cheapest and best fertilizer, will absorb
overone hundred pounds per acre wheat
WE'VE; potatoes sixty and turnips abo,It
y hundred and two p0uads.
Inc history OF the use OF lime mon
inc SOILS OF the Atlantic coast is ono Of
deep interest to the farmer. Forty vears
ago most OF the farms in Maryland were
wholly Improbable to their owners. The
ylelQ OF wheat per acre did not exceed
hVe bushels; corn and tobacco did NOT
pay Tor the cost of production: anI ns
Tor tile grasses no one thought of en,snW-
ing IN their culture. The arrIenlt,'rsl
Sonultioh OF the State was alarming.
Maiiy OF the small farmers deserted their.
homes and resorted to the fisheries Ear
support. The larger planters ekcd cut
scahty support by the increase 81 their
property, and the productions ar
tiie state were rapidly diminishing
ABOUT the time that the agricultural in-
terest had reached It's lowest ehh an All
farmer from New York h,,nrht
Y slhail piece OF ground on the eastern
shore and begun Immediately 10 trent NJ
Win lime and mari, or rather win AZ
iime made Of mari. Ills \ weve so.ar
HvuDied, then trcbled, and instead OF live
s q wheat per nero he soon OBJ
Saaacu MY. HE farmers In the neigh.
caught the infection. and fH !
snort tille q comparatively sterile tract
Oecane mighty productive The emani
!Or Hume Increased enOrmOuslv. and Lnr-
lreds or barges were set ailoat m tha
rotomac to supply the farmers T.ond
W IN . few years from eiyit and
NS,lais % one hundred dollars per
scLe, MANY OF Cue swamps and low lan1s
reclaimed, and so great was the
revolution produced by this agent that
persons reyisitiug the state sCter this
ahalge could hardly credit their sense
precisely the samesthlng occurred IN