282 On Liming Land. 
Lime on clay has never succeeded with me, to any 
profitable extent. The idea ofits durably warming cold 
clayey land, is unfounded. Heat is disengaged, when 
water or moisture solidifies, while lime is slaking: 
but it beconies shortly thereafter, a cold substance.* 
* Moss or a green fungus, such as is seen on damp north 
walls, stones, or on the butts of trees growing in cold soils, 
will be often found on the ridges of limed lands, in great 
plenty. I have considered this as a sign. of coldness, rather 
than heat, in the lime. I have conceived that hot, dry, and 
light soils were benefitted and corrected, by the coo/ and bind- 
ing quality of the lime ; as well as by its attracting and re- 
taining moisture ; independent of its other qualities. Mosses 
are found in all kinds of land, and especially in wet and cold 
soils. I think they abound on limed lands, in by far the 
greatest quantities. 
See Mr. Lang’s observations on Lime—page 1; which 
are well worth attention. I unwillingly meddle with conjec- 
tures, however plausible they may seem ; leaving them in 
better hands. It is known however, to every body, that lime, 
after parting with its fixed air, thirsts for its recovery. I 
therefore believe with Mr. Lang (page 7) that it preys on 
the plant, for lack of other supplies; and attracts all the 
carbonic acid it can obtain. And this is its process, rather 
than durably warming the land. Heat is not disengaged 
while it recovers its fixed air, as it is when it parts with it. 
Dung gives it the pabulum it wants, both for its caustic and 
attractive qualities ;—so do vegetable substances found in 
the earth ;—of which poor and exhausted land affords the 
fewest ; and therefore will bear the least lime. This fact I 
know ;—its theory I will not insist on ;—lime certainly (espe- 
cially when applied fresh) retards maturation; and exposes 
the wheat crop to injury, if not to rum. I haye repeatedly 
