MANUAL OF AGRICULTUEE. ' 279 



chemical effects. Besides disintegrating the strong clay, it also 

 breaks up the insoluble silicates and liberates the combined 

 alkalies. Moreover, it promotes changes amongst the organic 

 compounds, in peaty soils especially. Xor has it less importance 

 as being a direct source of food to plants, for all of them contain 

 more or less lime. By its application, the quality of grain is im- 

 proved, and its maturity hastened; whilst again, in pasture 

 ground, it serves to extirpate moss and plants of low organisation. 

 All those effects of lime are more marked and more effica- 

 cious if it has been applied in the caustic state. Frequently, 

 however, it is applied as the carbonate, in the form of chalk, 

 marl, and sliell sand ; for these are often to be had cheaply and 

 conveniently, where lime " shells " are difficult to obtain. 



In connection with the above general laws, there are numerous 

 considerations to be attended to, in regard to the application of 

 manures, which are too complicated, and too closely associated 

 with actual practice, to be touched upon here. They bear princi- 

 pally upon the proper times, quantities, and mutual proportions 

 which are essential to their profitable use. 



Rearing and Management of Stock. — Although, in our home 

 market, the foreign agriculturists can favourably compete with 

 us in grain production, it is otherwise with regard to the pro- 

 duction of beef and mutton. It is true, indeed, that, in spite of 

 the obstacles ensured to them in a ruder system of agricultural 

 practice, and a greater dependence of necessity on mere natural 

 agencies for the maturing of their stock, they still can rear 

 cheaper meat. But before our markets are reached, there are 

 the risks, difficulties, and expenses of transit to be encountered. 

 Doubtless, the appliances of science will tend to the gradual 

 diminution of these difficulties, as witness the importation of 

 cooked beef and mutton of fair quality from Australia, and 

 the sale in some of our markets at paying figures of fresh beef 

 from America. But before the American and European countries 

 exporting to us can produce live stock so speedily attaining a 

 high quality as ours do, and affording such a high-class descrip- 

 tion of meat as our markets demand, there must prevail amongs 

 them a higher practice of agriculture, involving the introduction 

 of improved breeds of animals. i\nd there is no reason why 

 J>ritish farmers should not maintain their precedence in this re- 

 spect. Almost the entire number they export reach us in a lean 

 condition, and reipiire to be fattened here, under our more ad- 

 vanced system. Fur since, within recent times, beef and mutton 

 Lave become a more important branch of our agricultural i)ro- 

 duce tlijin grain, scientific attention has been turned to the in- 

 vestigation of animal dictarv, with the result of manv natural 

 bodies formerly overlooked, together with new artificially }ire- 

 pared compounds, liaving conn; into general use in the feeding 

 of the live stock of the farm. I'hvsiulo^v has taught us whicli 



