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THE FAIlMhR'^ MAGAZINE. 



lization, and the carbonic acid gas is expelled, which in 

 combination with the earthy base formed the neutral 

 salt known by the name of carbonate of lime. In the 

 newly-burnt state, it forms a strong caustic, and has 

 a very powerful corrosive quality, and the alkaline cha- 

 racter of turning vegetable blues into green. After 

 being exposed to the air for a determinate time, it im- 

 bibes carbonic acid gas from the atmosphere, and be- 

 comes mild like pounded limestone. 



Lime is a homogenous body, and will exercise a che- 

 mical action on all substances in contact ; for all bodies 

 of simple constituents have an aptitude to enter into 

 combinations, and to effect decomposition, and the re- 

 sults will depend on the strength of the respective ac- 

 tions. The clammy and indurated clays, which are the 

 most abundant, must be laid in an oblong heap of about 

 six feet deep in the centre, and sloping at the ends, 

 which will permit the carts to pass and lay the loads of 

 lime upon the surface. The lime must be in the hottest 

 possible state, and the clay may be in any form, dug 

 from the beds of deep deposit, or from the surface 

 ground of soil in mixture, and consequently with a por- 

 tion of animal and vegetable matters. The heap of 

 clay must be turned over, and mixed regularly with the 

 cinders of lime, in the proportion of two to three, and 

 the sides of the heap sloping all round, in order to allow 

 loom for the swelling of the mass. When moisture 

 touches lime in a newly calcined state, a hissing noise 

 takes place, a swelling follows, vapour arises, much heat 

 is evolved, and light is emitted in dark situations. In 

 most cases, the water that is contained in the clay will 

 dissolve the lime, if sufficient care be used in mixing 

 the heap that the lime does not lie in dry masses, but is 

 touched by the clay in every cinder of its form. The heat 

 that is evolved penetrates the harsh mas'S of the clay, 

 and the acid and the water are expelled by its action, and 

 are dissipated along with the water of the lime, which 

 escapes in the form of a vapour, The aluminous base 

 of clay, beisg thus freed of the acid and the water which 

 rendered it harsh and rigid, immediately assumes a 

 mild gelatinous form ; and being united with the lime, 

 which is now mild by the absorption of carbonic acid 

 gas, the combination becomes a saponaceous mass of an 

 unctuous nature, which is loosely connected, and easy 

 of decomposition. The harsh properties of both the 

 constituent bodies have been expelled by mutual action, 

 and milder qualities have succeeded. 



After the dissolution of the lime-cinders has been com- 

 pletely effected, and no more heaving of the mass takes 

 place from the swelling of the lime in bulk, a time may 

 be allowed to renoain in quietness, for the purpose of 

 settlinff the combination after the union has been 

 effected by the violent intestinal motions that have been 

 provoked by the action of the bodies singly and on each 

 other. After remaining in a quiescent state for an in- 

 definite time, the heap must be again turned over, and 

 the materials very intimately mixed by breaking the 

 lumps, and placing in the centre of the mass the sub- 

 stances that have been exposed on the outside, and con- 

 sequently will be less decomposed. This movement of 

 the heap will provoke new affinities, produce fresh com- 

 binations, and effect additional results. It must be done 

 with much care in reducing the materials to fine particles 

 in order to bring the bodies into contact in the nearest 

 possible ultimate form, and at insensible distances. 

 Unless these conditions be effected, no useful combina- 

 tions will happen. 



It will depend on the state of reduction which the 

 mass of materials exhibits, if it be necessary to turn over 

 the heap for the third time : if it be finely pulverized the 

 necessity will not exist, after the heap is seen to 

 assume the form of a saiionaceous unctuousness ; for 

 the beginning of this condition shows that the affinities 



are exhausted, and that the rehuits of their action are 

 settling into the newly produced state of existence. But 

 if the materials still appear to be crude and harsh, and if 

 the lime still exists in the dry granulated form as it falls 

 from the dissolved cinder, the heap may again be turned 

 over with advantage. The lime is still hot, and will emit 

 caloric, which will enter into and separate the bodies, 

 sunder the particles, diminish the attraction for each 

 other, and proportionally augment the attraction of the 

 particles of adjacent bodies, and consequently produce 

 combinations and facilitate reciprocal unions. This 

 principle shows the necessity and advantage of the fre- 

 quent stirring of mixed bodies. 



Mixtures of lime with earthy bodies will require two 

 or three turnings, according to the original state of the 

 materials — if they be coarse and lumpy, or fine and easy 

 of reduction. After every motion has ceased by reason 

 of the non-generation of heat, the materials will become 

 a saponaceous unctuous mass, and will afford a mucila- 

 ginous manure, which is easily decomposed, and appli- 

 cable to any purpose of fertilization. The period of 

 time of one year, at least, is required to produce a mass 

 of mild and easily soluble materials from the agency of 

 caustics on the crude and harsh earthy forms that con- 

 tain both volatile and fixed principles of very inveterate 

 hostility. When the mixing of the different bodies is 

 done in summer, the compost will be ready for applica- 

 tion in the autumn of the next year, after the hay crop 

 is got, or on pastures somewhat later in the season, 

 when the cattle are housed. An equally good season 

 occurs in the early spring, before the grasses begin to 

 rise ; but the period of autumn may be preferable in 

 the compost affording shelter during winter to the 

 grassy herbage, and producing an earthy bed for the 

 spreading of the fibrous roots. In laying composts over 

 grass lands of old or young duration, carts with broad 

 wheels must be used, with a tire of at least five inches 

 in width. The compost must be spread from the carts 

 by two persons provided with shovels, one on each side, 

 to the righj and left, over a space of ground in three 

 yards of width to each person. When the earthy mass 

 is laid on the ground in heaps, and afterwards spread, 

 the bottoms are difficult to be cleaned out, and a tuft of 

 herbage grows from the extra quantity of manure that 

 is left on the spot. By spreading the compost from the 

 carts a superior evenness is obtained, and the work is 

 finished at once. 



After the compost has been laid on the surface of the 

 ground, in order to expose the cloddy particles to the 

 action of the atmospheric changes, the bush-harrow will 

 be very usefully applied in breaking into small pieces the 

 lumps which will be formed, and in tending to distribute 

 the mass equally over the ground. For this purpose, 

 the harrowing must be done across and lengthwise, so 

 as to act in both directions. When the surface has be- 

 come thoroughly dry, a heavy roll must be applied, 

 which will level all inequalities, and press together the 

 earthy compost and the roots of the plants. The roll 

 must be very liberally used both in the autumn and in 

 the spring : one, or even two, applications may not be 

 sufficient to produce a close bed for the roots of the 

 plants in contact with the manure, and also level, 

 against the penetration of drought. 



The quantity of such a compost manure to be used on 

 an acre may be stated at the average of 40 one-horse- 

 cart-loads, and at the cost of 2s. per load, or £4 per 

 acre. Very much of the effect of all manures is lost 

 from want of quantity : the chemical combination of 

 bodies is often produced by the addition of one or more 

 substances, which alter the mutual relationship ; and in 

 changing state, they also change capacity. Different 

 effects are often produced in different situations ; and 

 the quantity and degree of the exertion of the power de- 



