No. 63.J 247 



tion of this principle is contained in the following account from the 

 Essay on Calcareous Manures. 



The carcase of a cow, killed by accident late in the spring was 

 laid on the ground, and covered by about twenty-five bushels of bro- 

 ken shells mixed wuth forty-five bushels of earth chiefly silicious. 

 After the rains had settled tlae heap, it was only six inches thick over 

 the highest part of the carcase. The process of putrefaction was so 

 slow, that several weeks passed before it was over; nor was it ever 

 so violent as to throw off any effluvia that the calcareous earth did 

 not intercept in its escape^ so that no offensive smell was ever per- 

 ceived. In October, the whole heap was carried out and applied to 

 one-sixth of an acre of wheat; and the effect produced, far exceeded 

 that of the calcareous manure alone, which w^as applied at the same 

 time on the surrounding land. 



The same valuable work contains a caution to the farmer which 

 may save him from a dangerous error. " He is not to suppose that 

 calcareous earth can enrich a soil by direct means. It destroys the 

 worst foe of productiveness, [acidity] and uses to the greatest ad- 

 vantage the fertilizing powers of other manures; but of itself it 

 gives no fertility to soils, nor furnishes the least food to growing 

 plants." In other words, it is the strong box for the treasure, but 

 not the treasure itself. 



Lime also possesses the property of making sandy soils closer and 

 firmer, and clayey soils lighter. It is a mean between two extremes. 



I was conversing several years ago, with a farmer from a sandstone 

 district, who expressed some surprise that forty bushels of wheat could 

 be raised to the acre. " I don't believe," said he, " that our land 

 could be made rich enough to produce such a crop — it would lodge." 

 I am entirely of the same opinion, unless lime be employed. Stable 

 manure is too stimulating — the stem grows too rapidly — it is succu- 

 lent and weak. Whether the lime by combining with silica assists in 

 stiffening the stalk or not, we may be certain at least, that it yields 

 nourishment as the plant needs it; and that every part will be healthy 

 and properly developed. 



Professor Emmons says in one of his Geological Reports, that the 

 most fertile soil formed artificially, by the mixture of different earths, 

 yielded on analysis, 37 per cent of carbonate of lime. As it is known, 

 however, that lime in some soils, soon ceases to be a carbonate,* it is 

 probable that the real quantity of lime was even greater than what 

 was indicated by the analysis. I have seen soils of remarkable fer- 

 tility, that naturally contained a very large proportion of lime ; and 

 there is no danger of having too much when it is properly applied. 



In drouth, how are plants supplied with water? After a show- 

 er, the soil may be wet enough for a time; but when the sun and wind 

 dry the surface, the moisture rises up from below by capillary attrac- 

 tion, as the melted tallow^ rises up through the wick of a candle to 

 supply the deficiency above. It is from this circumstance that our 

 crops over deep beds of sand, suffer less in dry w^eather than where 



* Essay on Calcareous Manures. 



