The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-01-26
sgrisultural gepartnafat.
Lime and it's Application 10 Land.

Llmc dh0 itb APPitDatAon " 1nHas
Lime is ordinarily found 10 the form.
Of common limestone, or carbonate of
lime, d combination Of lime with carbon-
ic acid. Every i0l pounds Of pure
limestone contains about A pounds Of
carbouic acid gas This may be driven
off by high heat, as 10 the lime kilns
The lime that remains is called fae
caustic state or quicklime. When wa.
ter is poured upon it il swells, c,acks,
heats, and finally crnmbles to a fue
powder. If the water is only used in
sufficient quantity 10 slack the lime, il
viii all disappear. being entirely absorb
ed il has in fact united with the lime,
The heat during Stacking is caused BY
the chemical union Of water aud lime
A ton Of limestone unites with about
one fourth Of ton Of water.
If quicklime or slaked lin, is expos
ed to the air, it gradually absorbs carr
bonic acid and if left a long timei be-
comes nearly all carbonate once more,
If u piece Of quick lime be left exposed
in this way until ii has crumbled, il
will offervesce again with mnriaticacid,
as the limestone did before il was burn.
ed, thus proving the fact just stated.
Lime is applied to the !and i'd the
three states above meutioned-quick-
lime hydrat. or Stacked lime, aud air.
Stacked or mild lime, SO called because
it has lost its caustic properties. 1t il
better for the land in all these states
than il was before burning has reduced
it to an extremely fine powder, more
fitted to he dissolved in the soil, and TO
be taken up by the plaus. From yari,
GUS tables already given, it IS obvious
that lime is an absolutely essential In
grcdient 10 the soil, being constantly
nces.ed by plants in all Of their parts
but Lesides this, it performs other func.
tious there Of scarcely less importancei
differing according to the state in which
it is applied ia
If Tie soil be stiff aud cold, lit il
newly drained, containing much Of acid
organic compounds, or iftherc are etough,
obstinate grassei to eradicate, such as
bent, ETC., it is best to apply quicklime,
or the caustic hydrate. In either Of
these conditions, il has most beneficial
and energetic action; tightening aud
mellowing stiff clays, neutralizing and
decomposing injurious acid substances,
and extirpating many hurtfnl grasses
and weeds.
If caustic lime is applied largely to
light soils, it may do harm By too rap
idly decomposing Il 9 organic matter. us
ualIy scarce in soils Of this description [
In all such cases, and generally whsn i
is not wished to produce such effects as
the above, mild or air Stacked lime i
the best
The action Of all varieties is invaria-
bly, more marked and permanent upon
drained or thoroughly dry land, than
upon that which is wet and swampy,
All Of these various states Of lime act
not only upon the organic matter 10 the
soil, but upon the inorganic also, decom-
posing certain ipsoluble compounds, and
bringing them into state favorable %
the sustenancc Of the plants. Thus we
see that this manure performs many
most important functions.
IL has constant tendency % sink 40
the soil, and in one that has been heav-
ny lined tor many years, quite iaycr
OF 1t exists IN the subsoh TINS may ne
brought up by deep ploughing, or IS
made available by drains, which permit
the roots to 60 down " hen applied %
a top, dressing, itshculd IN almost every
case be mild, and also when used ~
co'nposts, where much animal manure
Is present The reason why precaution
should be used ~ the latter instance,
Is one that has been alluded % before,
~ speaking OF manure containing NJ
trogen. l...s