1 74 AGRICULTURE. 



d action, 'they were dispersed by the Romans as far as Bri- 

 tain. We are very much inclined, however, to claim an 

 indigenous origin for our bird-cherry, and for the Scotch 

 gean. We learn from Palladius that builders and plas- 

 terers were as fastidious about lime in his day as in ours, 

 each requiring the limestone and the sort and quantity of 

 sand appropriate to their operations respectively. Cato 

 describes most minutely the mode of building the kiln 

 and of burning the lime. We may certainly consider it as 

 a singular proof of his sagacity, that, for several years last 

 past, the practice of lime-burning in England has tended 

 to return to the principle which Cato prescribes, from one 

 which had long been considered as a great improvement. 

 Limeburners will understand us when we say, that Cato's 

 principle was, close fires and a very obstructed supply of 

 air, each kiln -full of lime being an independent burning. 

 The modern practice among large limeburners has been, 

 till recently, deep open-topped kilns, supplied with fuel 

 and limestone on the surface, the fire being urged by a 

 brisk draft of air from the bottom, which served also to 

 cool the lime in its descent to the holes in the kiln-bottom, 

 whence it was drawn in a continuous stream. We have 

 some experience in the matter, and believe that, in point 

 of economy, Cato is vindicated. He also describes a 

 system of burning lime in partnership. The owner finds 

 the stone, the kiln, and the fuel. The working partner 

 quarries the stone, and finds all the remaining labour. 

 They divide the spoil. The practice is not unknown now, 

 nor do the proportions vary very materially ; but our divi- 

 sion is less favourable to the working partner, and ought 

 to be, because our fuel is so much less cumbrous. Al- 

 though Pliny limits the agricultural use of lime by the 

 Romans to olives, vines, and cherries, he says that the 

 Hedui and Pictones (the people of Autun and Poictiers) 

 made their general land very productive by its applica- 

 tion. 



Varro reports, that when he led an army through Trans- 



