Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-09-01

This is the nature of many Of the changes
brought about in the soil by lime, and it is
by virtue of this disposing power that it con-
tlnues to act and retain its peculiar qualities
as a fertilizer. The pcrmanence of it's action
is further increased by its slight solubility
at the ordinary temperature it takes about
7oO pounds of water to dissolve one of lime
even in the caustic state, and still less can bo
dissolved after it has been acted on by tho
carbonic acid of the air. Thus it remains
tor long time in the soil performing it's i'm
portant offices. 1t is said to produce sensible
effects upon the crop after the lapse of 20 or
~ years, and some insist that good supply,
once added to the soil, never wholly ceases to
be feit. Ihis persistence in the effect of limo
Is high merit, aud Que which insurcs to
the farmer. sooner or later if judiciously
used, an ample interest upon his Investment.
We have already seen that when lime is to
be applied in the saked condition, except in
the case of stiff clays or rich vegetable
mould, it should be slowly "air.slaked," be-
cause, in the latter case it is not on]y moro
completely pulvcrizcd, but also of a mider
character, as the caustic quality of about one
half oti is neutralizcdb by combination with the
carbon'c acid of the air. AS labor saving
consideration, this slaking process should take
place IN the field, since, thereby, from one
fourth to one half the weight, and large in
crease OF tho bulk, caused by the shaking,
will be saved from transportation.
10 effect this it may be piled up in heaps
and covered with earth in the field, and left
till it completely crumbles to powder: the
covering of earth protects it from heavy rains
which might convert it Into mortar, aud also
from too free access of air which tends to
.chhnge it back into the state in which it was
before it was burut. When prepared for
distribution this may be accomplished by
drawing 1t cut froal cart into little heaps,
ftom live to seven yards apart, and in ouantl-
ties proporioncd 10 the amount we desire to
apply, per acre, after which it can be evenly
scattered. Some to accomplish the listribu-
tlon more regularly, check off the land into
little squares of convenient size, and apply
ing given quantity to each square.
Such is n general statement of the facts that
seem to best established in regard to lime as
fertilizer.
.,a,ax ho nenrr,..:, oon causiou, J, for conve-
utehI reference, 10 sum up the most impor-
tant points of practical character.
Lime, then, is useful to the farmer as food
for his crop--as digester of the auimal,
vegetable aud mineral manures in his soil
as an absorbent, Indirectly, of valuable manures
from the atmospherc-as ncutralizcr of in
furious acids aud other psisonous compounds
as g pulvcrizer of his stiff clay soils, and
as general simulout which improves both
the quantity and quality Of his produce.
The quantity of lime to be used depends
on the character Of the soil--on tho obun-
dance OF organic matter-on the kind of cul.
'lvarlon-on the character Of the climate
on the quantity already present in the soil,
and on the cost OF limc in the market wbcro
it is used
The mode of application depends on the
object chiefly aimed at. IF to pulvcrzo COM
pact tenacious ciuy lands, the caustc, water.
slaked condition is best if to act upon the
mineral matter of lighter soils tho mider,
air sIakcd form will do the work but if to
digest organic matter, or to servo the general
purposes of manure to enrich the soil and
give it warmth and energetic stimulate tho
plant and promote prompt development, or
whatever else may be deemed necessary, the
composted state is greatly preferred
Hence, every farmcr should have his cat.
tlclots and horse stalls abundautly supplied
with leaves, straw, grass, and organic matter
of every kind, to be trampled by his stock,
and ultimately thrown into compost heaps
with lime and vegetable mould, or pcaty
matter, which will absorb all the gases that
might otherwise escape. The quantity of
lime for these purposes need not be great
We have seen that, though in many cases
large amounts may be proGtably applied
where it can be chcaply obtained, yet even
very small quantities are highly useful, and
experience indicates that these small ouanti-
titles, frequently repeated, are moro beneG-
cial than larger amounts applied but once.
Let each farmer then do what he can, even
it his efforts are confined to few acres. for
the time has como when our people must
abandon the old>systcm of extensive planting,
and concentrate their time, energy, and means
upon comparatively small areas of land,
which, to be remunerativc, must be stmula-
ted to its highest capacity by all tho applian-
ccs of science and art
MrsoEoENATroN.--In In the Atlanta District
Court on Wednesday, five misccgenation
GASES were disposed of. The Judge sentenced
Williem Hibbs, white man, convicted OF
living in fornication with negro womon, to
pay fine of one thousand dollars or to be
imprisoned in the county Jail for the term Of
six months. Martha johnson, Hibbs' negro
paramour, top pay two hundred and fifty dol
lars, or three months Imprisonment Will
linn Harris, negro, convicted of fornication
with white woman, to pay two hundred and
fifty dollars, or six months on tho public
works. Mary Harris, his white paramour,
to pay one thousand dollars, or six months
on the public works. ~