The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-06-28
Limestone as Artificial
DrcsSinR.
Editor Home Journal:

Editor Home Journal;
The German Warte, Of Chicago, some
time ago, had an article on The "Usc Of
Limestone rs Artificial Dressing"
which in an English translation found a
place in other papers. ! beg TO write a
few lines on this subject.
! have not the extensive experience
on the use Of this ingredient as tho au-
thor Of that article cyinces, having
tried the experiment only with wheat
and corn. What is said concerning
wheat find completely verified but it
is too carly yet to give IN opinion in re-
gard to corn. | used 400 pounds per
acre for wheat, and scattered it over
the ground after the grain badsprouted.
| find this as the best way Of applying
it, since air, rain aud sunshine are the
best means Of di,integraling the small
particles of the limestone. ] am sure
to obtain Il yield once as large again
than had not used this kind Of dres-
sing. Also, observe that the field so
treated shows no rust whatever, while
around about it is prevalent.
The use Of limestone is important
and must be regarded great benefit fol
our section Of the country We have q
fine climate, and Il healthy and beauti
ful landscape; but the soil Of Franklin
county is mostly too poor, and we arc
Obliged tospond too much labor for tho
comparatively light yield in return
The use Of artificial fertilizer is, there.
fore, an absolute necessity. We should
endeayor to spond in about six year,
fifteen or twenty dollars worth on arti
fetal dressing per acre. Among tho
best Of such fertilizers ! consider lime
stone.powder and ground bones, be
cause they are cfiicacious for II longer
period than any other artificial means
1t is Of first Importance for US that We
obtain these fertilizers us pure and reas
enable as possible. As to grom lime
stone, We have it pretty much in om
own hands TO obtain it cheap. would
remind the agricultural readers Of the
journal that Mr.. |. ii. lIeikens, Of
Dccherd, las set up II limestone mill at
considerable expense, and has at his dis
posal an excellent limestone, and can
furnish it in any quantity, at low rates.
In conclusion, would call the attcn,
ton Of opponents to the use Of lime
stone to the fact that no country pos
sessng limestone us natural substra
tum has poor soil. This is true Of the
old as Of the new world In EuropC
the Alpine districts, possessing the SO
called Alpine limestone, are counted
among the most fertile !, is true, the
same may not be said of the j ara noun.
tains and the Jurassis limestone, be-
caHse this is not 80 easily soluble, Leave
the limestone countries and enter the
regions Of the slate, brcssia or pudding.
stone, and sandstone, and the change in
vegetation aud richness is at once per-
ccivcd, and the farmer feels how much
more need Of icr,ilizing the latter have
than the former soils, in order to Sc.
cure reasonable harvcsls.
The advantages Of the limestone for.
nations are nowhere more evident than
in Kentucky Travelling last winter
from Cincinnati, by way Of Lexington,
to Chattanooga, noticed that the
slate districts south of the Ohio for
about 60 miles belongs to the poorest
and least promising one can encounter.
Then follows the rich limestone country
about Lexington and other places
fully 100 miles along the road the land
scapc resembles a garden which pro-
duces rich crops and bears the dcwy
bluegrass, all leaving favorable I'M
preston upon persons interested in these
things. Farther along follows the
sandstone region Of the Cumberland,
with ITS iir-trces and stuuted oaks, and
ITS meagre, scanty vegetation, one al
most marvels that any man can live
there The great disparity is most
conspicuous where now and then u
limestone oasis is found in the midst of
this sandstone desert, at once the frs
give place to cedar trees, stunted oaks
to all manner Of large timber trees, and
farms and fields look rich and prom
ising- yielding Il little farther on again
to the dcsoIate sandstone formation.
There is no eXaggeation in this
statement, and all who choose may YER
lty lis truthful presentation of facts.
| can, therefore, recommend most
fully the use Of powdered limestone as |
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