ALKALIS . . . SALT ASHES LIME. Ill 



For instance: the abundance and tenacity of our 

 common sorrel is supposed to indicate an acid condi- 

 tion of the soil ; and all who have tried it know that 

 sorrel is hard to kill by cultivation. I suggest that 

 whoever is troubled with it should cover two square 

 rods with one bushel of quick-lime just after plow- 

 ing and harrowing this Spring ; then apply another 

 bushel to four square rods adjacent ; then make simi- 

 lar applications of ashes to two and four square rods 

 respectively, taking careful note of the boundaries of 

 each patch, and leaving the rest of the field destitute 

 of either application. I will not anticipate the re- 

 sult : more than one year may be required to evolve 

 it ; but I am confident that a few such experiments 

 would supply data whereof I am in need ; and there 

 are doubtless others whose ignorance is nearly equal 

 to mine. 



Many have applied Lime to their fields without 

 realizing any advantage therefrom. In some cases, 

 there was already a sufficiency of this ingredient in 

 the soil, and the application of more was one of those 

 many wasteful blunders induced by our ignorance of 

 Chemistry. But much Lime is naturally adultera- 

 ted with other minerals, especially with Manganese, 

 so that its application to most if not to all soils sub- 

 serves no good end. In the absence of exact, scien- 

 tific knowledge, I would buy fifty bushels of quick- 

 lime, apply them to one acre running through a field, 

 and watch the effect. If it does n't pay, you have 

 a bad article, or your soil is not deficient in Liine. 



