The Red Cloud chief., 1881-09-08
Lime as Q Manure.

Mr.. X. Gordon. of Gordonshire.
Aberdeenshire, Scotland. writes on this
topic As follows, in the North Br.Ish
I~grIcHhnrtsE
Lime is one Of the most important
natural we possess. and the
value of its application To a soIl has
been known from very early periods
The at on Of lime ~ a manure Is en-
iirely regulated by the form and man.
ner in which 10 is applied To the soil.
Quick lime should be u.ei for heavy
and tenacious soils. a, well n those
containing a fair qran;ity Of vegetable
matter. On the other hand. IL the soil
be light and friable. with little yegeta-
bic matter in L, canstIc lime would n
such . case do more harm than good.
Mid lime ought 10 he used. treated
with a mixture Of earth. and exposure
To the atmospheric sir, from which IL
takes carbonic a id. which takes away
a great deal of It's caurstlc ~prOpertls<-
The different circumstances and conil-
tons OF soil will not allow a uniform
practice TO be adopted; but Judgment
aud experience ought To regulate the
application of ali manures. Every
farmer should study his own soil. and
thereby he would be able 10 avoid the
misapplication of good azure. Before
the introduction OF Z tiicial manGTes.
lime was more universally used than
now. which helps to account for the
poor crops of clover. and the diiii culty
Of raising good turniFs- IL il essen
italy necessary that a supply Of lime
should exist in the soil to meet the re-
quiremeut- OF the various crops. Every
cultivated plant nee Is "A supply OF lime
tor the proper building up OF its s.vus-
ture, and. in combination with phoS-
phoric acid. lime forms n large portion
of the skeletons of the animals who
feed upon the crops. \ soil may con
tain large supplies of every ingredient
which a crop requires, and still be un-
able 10 Weld them TO the plant, they
being i'm an inactive state. and it Is only
tina, portion Of the soil which is soluble
in water which i, available a plant
food. ANY analysis Of 4 soil which only
tells It's composition is of little value
unless il can show the active matter
ready To be taken up by the crop. Lime
acts upon the dormant matter in the
soil, and performs the important func-
ton Of rendering these active. Gay
soils generally contain within them
selves potash and soda, and we know
by experiment that lime libcrates these
inorganic elements. Accord M 10 Prof.
Wav. lime helps 10 form Il valuable
class OF salts known "a double s~ilic3tcs
or aiumina, which havethe powero i alb
sorbiny ammonia from the atmosphere.
Lime neutrIlizcs the nc Us in the soil
and sweeteDs the heritage. besides sup
plying food for the perfect growth OF
the crops. IL is thought bv some Ia be
n wasteful practice 10 allow lime 10
come i'm Immediate contact with farm
ward manure. thinking il would cause a
loss of ammonia; but they overlook the
controlling influence consequent upon
the action taking place in the soil. The
action of caustic lime upon Il mixture
of farinyard manur and decayed or
ganic matter produces a most Valuable
fertilizer, viz, nitrate of potash. Lime,
besides being a plant food and bringin.
into useful cond ton the several organic
and inorganic matters in the soil, also
improves its physical! character, render
ing still and tenacious ciays more fri
| able and easy u work. However, tho
use of lime renders a supply of other
manure necessary. and under a good
system OF ~husbandry the increa 81
crops will increase the quantity OF ma
nurc. Taking into account the various
functions i, performs, it is one of our
best natural However, il
cannot be expected to produce IL VI
effects Immediately after being applied.