THE USE OF LIME. 215 



bulk, and falls into an extremely fine dry caustic powder, 

 which is hydrate of lime. This is a true chemical combi- 

 nation and is accompanied by much heat, sufficient to in- 

 flame wood. It also slow T ly absorbs carbonic acid, from the 

 atmosphere until it regains the normal quantity, when it 

 becomes carbonate of lime again andjoses its caustic burn- 

 ing or decomposing property. 



Lime is used as a manure in its caustic or quick condi- 

 ,tion, and in the form of the fine, dry, pulverulent, hydrate. 

 It is then spread over the land at the rate of 20 to 50 bush- 

 els per acre. It is prepared for use by leaving the fresh 

 lime in heaps in the field exposed to the air and to the rain, 

 until it has absorbed the requisite quantity of moisture, and 

 is then spread evenly with a long handled shovel. A very 

 convenient way is to drop the lime in heaps of one bushel 

 at distances of 2 rods 33 feet apart; which is equal to 40 

 bushels per acre. It is then easily scattered with the long 

 handled shovel, 16? feet each way from each heap, which 

 makes an even distribution over the land. 



Lime is thus used when the land is sown w r ith Avheat in 

 the fall, and grass and clover seed are to be sown in the 

 spring. It is spread over the land after the manure has 

 been plowed in and the surface has been harrowed once ; the 

 seed is then sown and harrowed in w r ith the lime or drilled 

 in, in the usual manner. Sometimes lime is used in the 

 spring when a grass or clover sod is plowed under for corn. 

 The results are the same in both cases. 



When lime is thus applied to the land it has the follow- 

 ing effects. 



First. It affords direct nutriment to the crop, being so 

 finely divided and soluble in water to the extent of one 

 part in 700 of cold water and one part in 1100 of hot wa- 

 ter it is readily taken up by the water of the soil and is car- 

 ried into the roots of plants and circulated through their tis- 

 sues, where it is deposited, by the escape of the water in a 

 pure state, and free from the lime, through the leaves. 



Second. It exerts a very strong decomposing action up- 

 on all organic substances, rapidly reducing them to their 



