224: [Senate 



the improvement caused by its application, and so apparent its ef- 

 fects, that in every neighborhood where one individual has made the 

 experiment, others have follovv^ed the example in quick succession, 

 until liming has become a sort of epidemic monomania, if it be pro- 

 per to apply such an appellation to so beneficent a condition of the 

 human mind. Some five years ago, our State Geologist passed through 

 a section of Carroll county, and by his persuasions and reasoning in- 

 duced a few persons to apply lime to their naturally sterile fields. 

 The effect was so marked in the production of crops, that in the 

 course of the succeeding two or three years every farmer that could 

 possibly raise the means had erected his lime kiln, and was busily 

 employed in hauling lime stone during those times when the force 

 could be spared from the immediate labors of the field. The conse- 

 quence of this state of things may be summed uplhus: All idea of 

 emigrating to the w^est, which was the constant theme of most per- 

 sons previously, has been abandoned, and all are now contented with 

 their ancient homes; the lands that have been limed are enhanced in 

 value at least fifty per cent, and those that have not received a liming 

 have also been increased in value by the development of their capa- 

 bility of improvement in this way. Lime has also not only improved 

 the land to which it has been applied, but all other arable lands, by 

 diminishing the number of farms offered for sale by those who would 

 have emigrated under other circumstances. No one now, in that sec- 

 tion of our state, thinks of selling out and going to the west. 



Lime seems to be beneficial to all soils that have been worn out, 

 or that are naturally thin and poor. For a considerable period it 

 was supposed that soils in which beds of limestone were found did 

 not require and would not be benefited by the application of lime; 

 but this has been found to be erroneous, as those very soils are found" 

 to be as decidedly improved by it as any others. 



Now, although lime is not to be expected to do much more for a 

 soil than to fit it for the reception of the nutritious principles neces- 

 sary for the production of the various crops where the land is abso- 

 lutely sterile, and to develop these nutritious principles in those that 

 already contain them in a dormant state, we may fairly conclude that 

 the prospects of Maryland agriculture have been very flatteringly 

 improved by it, and that our state will speedily assume a station 

 among her sisters of entire equality in agricultural affairs. 



The prominent features of Maryland agriculture are those of all 

 the northern states. They may be divided into several classes, but I 

 do not deem this necessary. The most prominent feature is clearly 

 visible to any traveller, and every correct thinking agriculturlist: It 

 is the BROAD-ACRE CULTURE — the cultivation of too much land — the 

 spreading of available forces over so large a surface as to weaken, if 

 not destroy, its efficiency. Our farms are all too large for the force 

 that Works them, and our crops are therefore small, and our soils de- 

 teriorating. But the lights that have suggested other improvements, 

 are beginning to illuminate this portion also, and much improvement 

 is expected from it. The present passion for broad-acres in cultiva- 

 tion, will speedily be absorbed by that for heavy and certain crops; 



