EFFECT OF LIME ON GRASSES 267 



where there is most lime in the surface soil. I have 

 often observed on our own pastures that on certain hill- 

 tops and slopes where erosion has put the limestone 

 pebbles in the surface soil the horses gnaw the grass to 

 the earth, while in other parts of the field with less lime 

 in the surface soil the grass is left uneaten. 



Lime Sweetens Pastures. Experiment has shown that 

 animals so much prefer the grass that grows on limed 

 soil (supposing it to have been lime-deficient) that 

 there is nothing that pays better than to sweeten old pas- 

 tures with lime before any other work of improvement 

 is begun, though this and drainage go right together. 

 One can not have sweet grass unless it is on land free 

 from both soil acids and excess of moisture. If an old 

 pasture is to be sweetened the lime may be applied as 

 a top-dressing, in any form most convenient, either 

 ground limestone, freshly-slaked quick lime applied in 

 powder form, air-slaked lime, or carbonate of lime. 

 Naturally the least harmful form is the raw ground lime- 

 stone, and when this is available at a low price it should 

 be chosen. The amounts that are advisable to use are, 

 of fresh-burned and slaked lime, from 2 to 4 tons to 

 the acre; air-slaked lime from 2 to 6 tons to the acre; 

 carbonate of lime from 2 to 10 tons to the acre. 



I recall an amusing instance of the effect of raw pow- 

 dered lime dust on pasture. A friend in the bluegrass 

 land of Kentucky allowed a contractor to take from his 

 field stone which was crushed and carried to the high- 

 way. The crusher made a good deal of dust which the 

 wind carried to the leeward until several acres were more 

 or less powdered with the white dust. My friend was 



