Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-08-07
FARM AND GARDEN.
LIME AND IT'S USES.
Reply to T. Riley Lee, sec'y., Rc,

Reply to n. Riley Lee, Sec'y., stc,
EDITORS CHRONICLE: The following
important comma nication, with regard to
lime and its uses, was addressed to me by
the intelligent Secretary of the "Farmers
and House-keeper's Club of Friendsville,
Blount county, Tennessee, with the re-
quest that | answer it. The letter is as
follows:
DEAR SIR: | was directed, at the last
meeting of our club, to address thee on the
subject of the use of lime as a fertilizer.
How should it be applied to land, at what
time of the year, how much to the acre and
on what kind of lands will it pay the best
and any other information ON the subject
that thou mayest think will be of interest
to the club.
Our farmers are beginning to be alive to
the subject of agriculture, and are anxious
to be informed how to increase the produc-
ing properties of the soil.
BY answering the above interogatories
thou wilt oblige many farmers.
Respectfully, &c.
T. RILEY LEE, Sec'y., &C."
In reply 1 would say that lime is one of
the most important of all the mineral fer
tilizers 1t is present to a considerable ex-
tent, in almost all soils, forming the char
acteristic element, and giving name to
large class of soils, and is found i'll some
form and to some extent in all animal and
vegetable forms.
Originally, it is the product of a union
between oxygen and the metal calcium.
AS commonly found, it is the product of
burned limestone or shells. When eX-
posed to the air for a considerable time, it
absorbs carbonic acid from the air and be-
comes air-slaked or carbonate of lime. By
exposure to water, it is more rapidly slaked
and becomes hydrate of lime.
1t is remarkable and chiefly valuable for
the number and combinations which it is
capable of making and the absorptive
powers. 1t improves some soils by de-
composing some of its elements and re-
combing them in a form more easily di-
gestible by the plants. 1t hastens the de-
cay of vegetable and animal matter, and
absorbs the most valuable gases evolved
in the process. 1t absorbs the carbonic
acid from the air and produces carbonate
of lime. 1t diminishes the evaporation
from the surface of plants, thereby hus-
banding the moisture of the soil. 1t also
increases largely the absorptlve power of
soils with which it is mixed.
Lime mellows clay land, sweetens sour
land. 1t should be sown broadcast over the
ground finely powdered in the fall or
spring or it should be used to form a COM
post thus: a layer of lime, sOds, weeds,
scrapings of roads, bitches, mud or any re-
fuse vegetable or animal matter, then lime
and so on alternately. In two weeks the
whole may be worked over and over again
every ten days until needed. The heap
when nrst made should DO covered with
earth
The time of application should depend
on the crop to be grown For winter crops
apply in fall. For spring crops early in
spring. For sour lands summer applica-
ton is best. No specific directions for the
amount to be used can be given. OF this
each farmer must be his own judge. The
amount requisite varies from so to 200
bushels according to the condition of the
land and the crop to follow. Lining, per-
haps, pays best on stiff clay lands, or rath-
er such lands need lime more than others.
A very common error prevails in regard
to limestone soils not needing lime because
they are limestone, whereas the fact is by
rain and evaporation all the soluble lime
of these soils has, in the great majority OF
case been exhausted, and though there il
considerable lime in the soil, it is not in q
condition to be used by the plants.
In general way lime stands in the same
relation to plants that cooks do to folks
both take the raw materials from the air
and soil. the garden and larder and prepare
them for the more easy digestion of plants
or men.
Throughout East Tennessee limo kiln
would pay on almost every farm.
G. w. CHARLTON.