News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-01-05

| OT ItTlc W
! With the building up of soil by
| proper crop rotation becoming more
| general the use of lime for improving
| agricultural soils is increasing. Lime
| stone soils are universally recognized
| as rich soils and especially suitable
| for stock farming, where proper
mixed hay and pasture are vital. BY
| the use of ground limestone many
| farmers, frequently at a moderate ex'
penSe, can make their soils better, say
specialists of the bureau of soils
United States department Of agricul-
| ture.
Where lime can be bought from
large plants producing it cheaDly, it is
doubtful whether the farmer in lime
stone region would do well to make
his own lime. In other cases, how
ever, the existence Of local material
and the ACCESSIBILITY of using power
or labor which would otherwise go to
waste make it the best policy to pro-
duce lime on the farm. In some rural
communities are sources of power,
such as sawmills, which are only used
for part Of the year. In cases of
this kind it may be possible to utilize
this power for limestone grinding, and
thus lower the price of the product
In other cases, as at prisons, refOrma-
tories, institutions for the insane ETC.,
there is available a large amount of
unpaid or cheap labor which may be
used to produce lime for the institu-
ton farm or even for sale to neigh
boring farmers.
Burning or Grinding.
Given source of limestone or
shell, the farmer has a choice of either
grinding the material finely and using
1t in the form of carbonate or burning
1t and using it in the form Of oxide or
quicklime. In the early days Of this
country the burning process was the
only one employed, but at present
ground limestone is popular in many
sections where long freight hauls are
not involved. Good results agricultur-
ally are obtained from lime in either
of these forms.
Burning has certain advantages for
small operations, chiefly because it
takes no expensive equipment or pow
er plant. Where only small amount
Is needed all that is necessary is to
use the so-called heap method. In
this system layer of two rows of
dry cordwOOd mixed with a lighter
kindling is first laid down, next lay
er of coal, next layer of limestone,
and above this several layers of lime
stone and coal. One part of coal
should burn several parts of lime
stone. The outside of this heap is
covered with soil and the kindling
lighted. The burning of the wood and
coal turns the whole amount of broken
limestone into burned lime, the car
bon diOXde escaping as a gas through
an opening left in the top of the heap
for this purpose. The process is net
satisfactory unless the gas
is allowed TO escape.
This method produces lime which is
mixed with ashes, but as the coal
ashes are harmless and the wood
ashes beneficial to the soil no i'll eff |
fects result from this mixture. Oyster |
or clam shells may be burned in a sim
llar manner or in a special rack made |
Of cordwood. In all cases the heat |
must be controlled and spaces must |
be left between the stone or shells for |
the flames to penetrate
Where larger quantities of lime are
to be made it may be advisable in
some cases to construct small cylin-
1rical kiln, which may be lined with
fire brick or sandstone. This is rare
~ advisable for the farmer at pres
ant, however, as under these condi-
ions it would probably pay him bet
ter TO purchase a grinding outfit.
Community Production.
The use of small crushers and pull
7erizers to produce ground limestone
las proved satisfactory in many To-
'alities. They are naturally not as
as a large plant but may
ave high freight rates TO inaccessible
ocaIities. They are often employed
llso at Off seasons of the year where
ahor would otherwise not be used to
he best advantage. The most con-
'enient outfit is combination crush
~ and pulyerizer. but good results
re secured from small pulverizers,
lihough ~ 'hiS case good deal
more hand sIcdgiug has TO be done
outfits may be moved from
lace tC ,lace and thus utilize out
reps s9d save hauling.
Who're associations Of farmers are
uyine machinery a stationary plant
nay r. .7-tai'cd which should produce
limestone Ak a low cost per tom As