The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-06-09

matter into the original elements; il forms
new combinations, thus changing hurtful
acids into soluble plant-food; il hastens the
decomposition Of various rocks and gives
out all the elements contained therein.
1t is entirely possible, therefore, to con-
tinually draw from the soil all the ten
mineral elements that lime may have made
available, until lime, unaided BY vegetable
matter, will cease to produce q perfect
crop. We know that lime cannot produce
potash. If continually We fail to add po-
fash to the soil, and yearly take it off by
heavy cropping, it is very evident that a
perfect crop cannot be produced when so
important an ingredient cannot be found
in the soil 1t is no fault Of lime-it is
ours. Lime has done its duty. 1t can
not supply what does not exist in the soil,
1t can only change forms and modify
conditions. Hence all the talk that
slime enriches the father but improve
rishes the sons" is nonsense. 1t viii
not do any thing Of the kind if the
sons will give it matter to work on, or will
add to the soil, periodically, all that their
crops take from the soil Lime is heavier
than the soil 1t gradually sinks below
the pillow share. Investigations for four
years, have proved that it sinks, or is lost,
in the following proportion: The first
year the soil contained l.19 per cent. Of it;
the second, .89 per cent; the third, ,52
per cent; the fourth, only "a per cent,
Frequent but small applications will keep
the right quantity in the right plaee-on
the surface, where it can feed upon vege-
table matter and produce vegetable mould
If sulphuric acid, potash, magnesia, phos,
phoric acid or any of the other requisites
Of mineral plant-food, be present in the
soil, lime will render them available; but
it cannot put them into the soil, and here
is the whole trouble. We expect lime tC
do what we alone can do. In short, we
expect lime, which is only one Of the ter
mineral elements, to supply the balance
and failing to do it, we say it does US nc
good. The actual demand Of lime, during
a four years rotation of an acre of ground
is about 430 lbs. The demands for chem
ical changes, waste and sinking are onC
hundred times more, very frequently, upon
steep hill sides.
There is much more to be said upor
this important subject, which | will leave
for my next. As light is beginning tt
dawn on US, cannot but hope that bet
ter day is in store for this science of fielC
culture. When we learn, as learn WI
must, that those who feed the nation SHOULD
not be slaves to those who are feed; whel
taxation is in the hands Of those whose in
terest are taxed, when peace, once more
in her sovereign majesty, comes with char
ity, to rule the nation, then will agricul
ture take that stand its Importance hai
allotted it. Hand in hand with educa
tiOn, it must move on and upward, willis
those who have clogged its progress, vii
lie by the wayside, dismembered fragment
Of its greatness. That which feeds tht
brain Of nation aud builds up its wasting
body, must stand among the first science
Of the land; whilst those who seek to solY,
its ever varying problems-facing tn,
noon days's heat and winters storm, vii
take their stand where they belong
among those who wear the title of honore,
veterans. Living, both are soldiers worth,
of the name, and dying, let them be burie,
together, that when the grand reveille shall
be sounded, they may buckle on their ar
NOR for new victories.