l8oO. Jin Effay on Lime. 38 J 



TO THE CONDUCTORS OF THE FARMER's MAGAZINE. 



Gentlemen, 



I take the liberty of fending you fome obfervations on the 

 ufe of lime in Yorkfhire ; which, if they meet with your ap- 

 probation, may be inferted in the next Number of the Farmer's 

 Magazine. 



The common way of ufing lime in the Weft-Riding of 

 Yorkfhire, is to lay it upon Summer-fallov/ that is intended to 

 be fown with wheat, in the proportion of from 100 to 150 

 bufliels of (hell-lime, brought from the neighbourhood of Pon- 

 tefrail ; it is applied at any time during the Summer that fuits 

 the convenience of the farmer. Some farmers lay the fame 

 quantity upon the turnip-fallow, with the addition oi farm- 

 yard diing^ bones, or rape-dust j in either of which cafes, when 

 it is laid upon land that has been long in tillage, and previouf- 

 ly limed, it is of no fervice j and if the Summer months are 

 'warm and dry, it is often deftru£live to the turnips. This 

 error arifes, pardy from an ignorance of the properties of 

 lime, and partly from a want of due attention to the ftate of 

 the foil to which it is applied. There is a lime of another 

 kind in the Weft-Riding, got atEmfall near Doncafter, which 

 is often ufed for wheat, generally upon leas after oats or bar- 

 ley : it is fpread upon the ftubble before the fud-furrow is 

 given, and generally found ferviceable ; "as in that way it meets 

 with abundance of vegetable matter, upon which its action is 

 exerted. This lime is faid, by a perfon who examined it che- 

 mically, to contain clay, in the proportion of one third of its 

 weight. From fixty to eighty buftiels are laid upon the acre. 

 From its ftrength, it does not appear that the land will bear 

 more ; as, in moft inftances where a greater quantity has been 

 applied, it has been found to hurt vegetation. This is the re- 

 fult of the experience of almoil every farmer in the circuit 

 where it is ufed. 



The Pontefraci lime is mixed with fand, nearly in the pro- 

 portion of one third of its weight, and, being of a milder na- 

 ture than that already defcribed, requires to be laid on in great- 

 er quantity ; 200, and even 250 buftiels, unllacked, are fre- 

 quently laid upon the acre with advantage, efpecially whea 

 well watered. 



It appears that no correft idea has yet been formed, either 

 of the qualities of lime, its operation upon the fubftances it 

 meets with in the foil, or the quantity required for different 

 foils. Owing to a want of this knowledge (a thing furely at- 

 tain able j 



