National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-03-14
Farm. Garden and Household.


Lining Land.
Will you allow me TO PROFOUND one or
two questions for your consideration,
which have been induced by reading in
the agricultural department of the
Weekly tribune Of Jan. 8, some ex-
periments by Pennsylvania farmer
in regard to lining land. Says this
correspondent 81 have found exactly
the same results on strips of land treat
ed with lime and wood ashes alternate
~" Now, then, lime being an alkaline
substance, or largely so, will not plants,
in tho absence of potash in the soil,
make use of lime as substitute, and
use it with equal effect. Common salt
being about one-half soda, an alkali,
will not these two substances, lime and
salt, used ON land fully supply the
place of potash ?--[W. p. Gates, Wind
ham Co., Conn.
Reply By s. ". johnson, author Of "Ao,c
Crops Feed"
The fact that limo and wood ashes may pro-
duce the same effect ON q soil, il due to the
fact that they are commonly almost identical in
composition. Shell-lime and lime burned from
many limestones contain, independently OF mat
ters introduced by fuel less than one per cent
OF other ingredients. Limestones are how
ever, often admixed with clay, sand or carbon
ate of magnesia, and tho impure lime obtained
from them is after stacking and exposure,
quite like edc'ed pood-dshes in all essential
points OF composition. Unleached wood ashes
contain, Of course. some 10 to Is per cent of
potash (as carbonate chiefly in addition. The
action OF leached ashes must, therefore, be
nearly that Of ordinary lime when tho latter is
used after air-slaking, or when it is applied in
light doses or on soils whose quality does not
admit Of much alteration by the chemical ener-
gies of quicklime.
Mr.. Gates first question, viz whether, "in
the absence Of potash from the soil, plants
will not make use Of lime as a substitute. and
use it with equal effect, in one which can be
answered with the most positive certainty, no /!
The numerous and exact experiments which
have been carried out with extraordinary labor
and patience by Prince Salm-Hortnear, Sachs,
knop, and many others OF the German agricul-
tural chemists during the last 20 years. have
demonstrated that lime and potash AZ, sener-
ally indispensable to plant growth These ex-
periments have altogether fsi'ou to give any in
5ication that one of thee. alkalies can be sub
stituted for the 9th. In the plant. The evil
dence on that subject cannot be given in less
than book limits, being contained in large
number of detailed journal articles. 1t is to be
regretted that none of these are to be found in
M English dress. The only fairly adequate
contained in How Crops Grow" PIP. 166 to 172
Before proceeding to the second question. it
must be remembered that while lime cannot
take the place nor fulfill the Offices Of potash
IN the plant it may in certain cases take the
place OF potash i'll manure. If the soil is def
substitute for it, but if on the other hand. the
Foil be deficient not in potash absolutely, but
IN available potash, 1. e., in potash which is OBJ
tainable or digestible by the plant. then lime
serves as substitute for manuring with pot
ash, by making available the potash which exists
III the soil, but only in insoluble forms. Plainly
1t amounts to the same thing. whether we apply
to the soil fertilizer containing soluble potash
or a chemical agent which berates and makes
soluble the potash Of feldspar, mica and other
materials that are part Of the soil
The second question as to common salt is an
swered for the most part in the foregoing para
graphs. Potash il substance for which moth
ing can be substitute in the plant Soda is
an alkall often absent from and generally I'M
essential to the growth Of plants. Even marine
or salt-strand plants grow perfectly in absence
OF soda. Just, however, as lime may accom-
pllsh the solution of potash in the soil and
render 1t attainable to vegetation in sufficient
quantity and with sufficient rapidty to make
possible the development Of crop. which
might fail in its absence. 30 salt and all saline
fertilizers operate, and thus salt, neither of
whose ingredients is required by many crops,
sometimes has strikingly beneficial action
when applied as fertilizer. f. Wolff analyzed
samples Of buckwheat raised from the same
soil and seed, one Of which was manured with
common salt, two others with carbonate and
nitrate OF potash respectively, and one was I'M
Tho unmonurod contained in its
ash 1874 per cent. of potash, and 4.6. Of salt
that manured with salt contain cd 80. 6.per cent |
Of potash and three of salt. Those to which |
potash-salt were added contained 4O.l and 424 |
per cent. OF potash and 80 and 3.8 of soda |
The effect of salt was to increase the proper
ton OF potash rather than that Of soda.
Agricultural Notes.
The cry which we heard some time
ago that farming, as whole, does not
pay, has ceased, because those who
could not make it pay have starved to
leath or gone into some other line of |
business.
If your cows eat wood, we should |
think it an indication that they do,not get
green food enough. Give them turnips,
beets, carrots, or potato g once day
and see if they do not leave off eating
heir managers.
1t is said that the Farmers Club at
Avon, ILL.,, saved 81, 900 last year by pur-
'hasing their supplies of Implements,
,ioociiCo, eIC., III Dulk. Oue OF tnelr
lumber acts as agent, and is allowed
Of three per cent for his
ervices.
The cattle of New-England and the
Middle States command the highest
prices in the markets. Three year old
teers in Maine average a value of SS3
Il Rhode Island, $3.50 in Massachu-
etts, $65; In New Hampshire, 1853. So
n Vermont, 1858; in Connecticut, $685.
%, and in New York, $52. An average
Texas steer is worth only 81. "a, and
florida steer, $14.40.
The experience of each passing sea-
on adds proof that corn, as we'll as other
rains, can be more be more advadtage-
usly improved by selecting the largest
ars and best-formed kernels for seed,
nd by careful cultivation, and abundant
nanuring, than BY taking pains to in
reduce new varities from distance.
,orn is not deteriorated by long ac-
but is by careless husband
y and neglect to "select the fittest." !
n old author who wrote before the
hristain era knew how it was himself, '
nd said: q" / have seen seeds for long g
me selected, and with much labor Gull I
4 out, nevestheless to degenerate I'M I
'ss the largest were year by year care t
lily chosen by the hand" C
mn