The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-10-17
Lime as a Remedy for Fly in Wheat.

We find the following article in the Oc-
tober number ofthe Maryland Farmer, from
a correspondent in Chesterfield county,
Virginia:
notice in the September number of the
Farmer some remarks about the lily. Shall
| say that one proof of the slowness with
which farmers take to good ideas in their
profession, if they happen to be new, is
their failure to use lime as prevention Of
attacks of fly, or remedy when it has APP
peared. Years ago, the late, not the pres
ent VIM. M. Tate, of Augusta county, Va,
communicated to the Farmers Register that
lime would destroy fly in wheat.
In 1852 or 1858, | forget which, the
Southern Planter published letter from
Mr.. (he ate) James A. (Addison) Cochran,
of Augusta, Oh the same subject. In 1856,
n second letter from the same gentlemen ap-
peared in that periodical to the same pur
port.
In 1857 appeared in the same paper let
ter from Mr.. Geo. G. Gilmer, of Albemarle,
to the same purport and u note to that
letter by the editor stated that he had made
an application of lime, according to the
terms of the prescription, on IL acres of
wheat sowed on the 23d and 25th Scptem-
Der, the worst fly struck he ever saw the
remedy applied about the middle Of No
vember; and this wheat yielded by several
bushes-uye measure - better than any
part of large field which made, by the
mill scales, 1GS bushels per acre, and would
have done, it was supposed, still better if
the application had been repeated in April,
as it would have been, only the appearance
of the wheat was so good that it was deem
ed unnecessarily mistake that was obvi-
Gus on the first of the following June.
If you think the interest of farmers will
lead any of them to try this experiment,
which can cost but fraction per acre, can
do no harm, and may do much good, you
can publish the following extracts from one
of Mr. Cochran's letters on this subject
MY experience thus far is to apply, (by
sowing broadcast,) two bushels and a half
of air Stacked lime to the acre, say about
| the first of November, and the same guam
tity from the 1st to the 25th April giving
two chances to get the lime dust on the
| blades of the wheat and also that the
| boot which forms around the stalk in the
month of April, may become filled, on the
day after sowing, with the I've made from
the lime that falls. After sowing the lime,
if you examine on the following morning,
you will find large drops of lye on each
blade, made by the dew, ready to be tilted
upon the elevation Of these blades into the
boot around the wheat stalk This lye
formed by the dew and lime, is sufficiently
strong to burn off the tender parts of the
fly and will prevent them from doing fur
ther harm. This know, since have seen
it. On last April put bushe
of unslacked lime in barrel to which
applied 10 or Is gallons of water. Aitel
stirring the water and lime well together
staked off a piece Of ground, four rods
square, and with a common watering poi
literally whitewashed the entire square,
Upon this space the wheat was perfect
whilst that which surrounded it was seri
ously injured by the fly. Therefore hav,
more confidence in an application made il
the month of April than in November, and