36 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



soil, into available food for plants. It has proved in many 

 instances the wand of Midas, changing everything it touched 

 into gold. It is the key to the strong box of the farmer, 

 securely locking up his treasure till demanded for his own use, 

 and yielding it profusely to his demands whenever required. 

 In its influence in drying the land, and accelerating the growth 

 of plants, the use of lime is equivalent to an increase of tem- 

 perature ; and the farmer somtimes experiences, in effect, the 

 same benefit from it, as if his land were removed a degree 

 or two to the south. The influence of lime in resuscitating 

 soils after they have been exhausted, has been frequent and 

 striking ; and it may be stated as an incontrovertible truth, 

 that wherever procurable at low prices, lime is one of the 

 most economical and efficient agents in securing fertility 

 within the farmer's reach. 



It has been falsely said to be an exhauster of soils; that it 

 enriches the fathers and impoverishes the sons. So far as it 

 gives the occupant of the land the control over its latent 

 fertility, this is true, but if he squanders the rich products when 

 within his reach, it will be his own fault. Lime gives him 

 the power of exhausting his principal; if he uses aught beyond 

 the interest, his prodigality is chargable to his own folly, not 

 to the liberality of his agent. By the addition of lime to the 

 soil, the insoluble ingredients contained in it are set free, and 

 they are thus enabled to aid in the formation of plants, and 

 larger crops and of better quality are the results. If these be 

 taken from the soil, without a corresponding return of ma- 

 nure, exhaustion must follow. In the preceeding table it is 

 seen, that lime constitutes in all cases, only a very minute 

 part of the entire plant ; all the other ingredients must be 

 added or the fertility of the soil cannot be sustained. But in 

 the very abundance of the crops which lime affords, means 

 are provided for the maintainancc of the highest fertility. If 

 they are consumed on the farm their manure should be 

 returned to the fields; and if sold, other manures should be 

 procured to replace the substances from which they are formed. 

 A practice which has extensively prevailed for many years 

 in sections of the eastern states, consists in alternating wheat 

 and clover on strongly limed lands. The plan usually adopted 

 is to give one year to wheat and two to clover, sometimes 

 taking off the first clover crop for hay, and feeding ofTon the 

 ground and plowing in the after growth for manure; and 

 upon this, wheat is again sown. This course has succeeded 

 in bringing into fine condition, many Unprofitable fields. It 



