FARMERS' REGISTER 



11 



The kilns for the burning of the Hmestone are 

 variously constructed — some are temporary, and 

 some ol' a more permanent character — such, lor 

 instance, as the kilns at Capt. Edmondson's, lor 

 the burning of the hydraulic lime; and I believe 

 your enterprising neighbor, Col. Barclay, also, 

 has one constructed lor his farm, which will bear 

 ten or a dozen burnings. But these are expensive 

 and troublesome in their first erection, and proba- 

 bly not so well adapted to most farmers, as the 

 more temporary and cheaper kilns. These, with 

 the aid of our farming hands, can be built by a 

 good mason in 5 or 6 days, at a cost ol" about ^5, 

 capable of burning from 500 to a thousand bush- 

 els; which will require two hands, night and day, 

 to supply fuel, lor 5 or 6 days, and during this 

 time, will consume 20 to 30 cords of wood. This, 

 tome, and most of us living six miles from town, 

 is only worth the cutting and hauling ; and I have 

 no hesitation in expressing the opinion, that most 

 of us thus situated, can burn lime at a cost not ex- 

 ceeding 5 or 6 cts. per bushel ; and in no way can 

 we so profitably employ our labor in the winter 

 season, as in cutting our timber (now rotting in 

 great quantities through our wood-lands) — quar- 

 rying the rock, and burning it into lime. You 

 ask for such incidental remarks as may suggest 

 thenjselves — and I will here observe, that through 

 Maryland and Pennsylvania — in the latter par- 

 ticularly — where farmers are much closer calcula- 

 tors of the cost than we are, they deem themselves 

 richly remunerated for their trouble and expense, 

 if they can procure lime within 10 iniles of them, 

 at 25 cts. per bushel. This fact speaks volumes in 

 its fiivor, and needs no comment. 



It will not here be inappropriate to say, there are 

 several varieties of limestone, and the science of 

 chemistry, in its course of rapid improvement, has 

 taught us that all and every variety is valuable. 

 Formerly it was thought that such as contained 

 magnesia were " poisonous and destructive to the 

 soil." But our modern lights have taught us 

 that they are merely more caustic, and must be 

 used more sparingly — or a longer time allowed for 

 them to absorb the carbonic acid of the atmos- 

 phere, and thus become carbonated, or their caus- 

 ticity neutralized. There are, however, large quan- 

 tities of the pure blue limestone throughout our 

 valley, containing little or no magnesia, and those 

 fearing its effects may use the otlier without fear 

 — the magnesian limestone being generally of a 

 yellow or brown tinge; though Professor Rogers, in 

 his Geological Report, speaks of a limestone " of 

 a dull greyish blue color, and coarse texture," 

 which, on analysis, was shown to contain upwards 

 of 33 per cent, of the carb. of magnesia ; and, up- 

 on the same authority, it appears, the hydraulic 

 limestone of this country contains upwards of 16 

 per cent. 



2nd. "Mode of applying lime — quantity per 

 acre, quality of soil." 



Since residing on Buffalo,! have been compelled 

 to use lime more sparingly and more by way of 

 experiment — but my method has been, first to 

 break up the ground, then to lay it off in squares 

 of 16 or 20 feet, and deposite at each corner a peck 

 or half a bushel, according to the quantity desired 

 per acre, and afler this has thoroughly slaked. 

 which it will do in 10 days or a fortnight, (o spread 

 it with shovels as evenly as possible, and then to 

 incorporate it completely with the soil by harrow- 



ing and cross harrowing. In spreading, the sai- 

 lor's tact and judgment must be used in keeping 

 well to windward, else the eyes will sufier mucli 

 from the lime. The ground is now well prepared 

 for the corn crop ; and if fi-om 30 to 60 bushels 

 are thus applied, nineteen times out of twenty, the 

 labor and expense will be repaid with 50 per cent, 

 interest. Tiie growth of the cornstalks will be 

 more vigorous, the blades greener, and, what is 

 more important, the ears larger and better matured. 

 If applied in the same quantity to the wheat crop 

 in the fall, this is less liable to be depredated on by 

 insects, and will at harvest have a brighter straw, 

 and will weigh heavier. Besides, it will come 

 earlier to maturity, and is much less liable to inju- 

 ry fi-om rust. The only advantage I perceive 

 from first using it with the corn crop is, its better 

 incorporation with the soil tlie first season. 



The lands of Mr. Wilson, on which 1 first com- 

 menced the use of lime, are of the mulatto cast, 

 and somewliat disposed to be gravelly ; but on 

 Buffalo I have principally applied it to my sslifiest 

 clay, with the view to destroy its too great tenacity; 

 but my partial trials on lands more sandy, induce 

 me to believe it is here it acts most promptly. 



1 am, however anticipating your third interrog- 

 atory — the " effect on crops since cultivated, and 

 upon the permanent character of the soil." 



As before remarked, the crops are manifestly 

 improved, both in quantity and quality. As to 

 the permanency of its operation I have no fear. I 

 am inlbrmed by Mr. Wilson that on those parts 

 of his farm, where it was most liberally applied in 

 1824 or 5, as stated before, its good effects are still 

 very obvious; and doubtless this would continue 

 for half a century, under his judicious application 

 of vegetable manures, as the soil is more prepared 

 to receive them, to combine with, and to hold them 

 fast, as it were, for I know of no more appropriate 

 expression. But the science of chemistry leaches 

 us that lime alters the very constitution of the soil 

 and that in sands, where barn-yard manure sinks 

 or evaporates — it matters not which — where its 

 good effects are utterly lost in twelve months, this 

 may be so remedied by lime as to make it combine 

 and "fix" the fertilizing properties of vegetable 

 manure, for many years. We know too it acts 

 mechanically as well as chemically, and this com- 

 bined action will explain the paradox — that whilst 

 it loosens a stifl soil it will give compactness and 

 stiffness to a sandy one ; and it is the best remedy, 

 next to horizontal ploughing, for lands disposed, 

 to wash. Its action also, is very diflerent, applied 

 in its caustic state, or after a long period of expo- 

 sure to the atmosphere. They become indeed 

 almost distinct substances, and this will in some 

 degree account for the discrepancy in the experi- 

 ments made with lime. As quick lime, it should 

 never be applied directly to the soil, unless where 

 there is obviously an excess of woody fibre, or 

 where undecayed roots abound. But made into 

 a compost by mixing alternate layers of sod, or 

 rich earth abounding in vegetable matter — or with 

 leaves from the woods and unroited straw, it will 

 soon decompose them, and prepare a rich repast 

 of food for our wheat or corn, if thus spread and 

 incorporated with the soil where ttiey grow. 

 Should any of our farmers have " killed" their 

 land by the caustic lime, or by an over-dose of it 

 in its mildest state, they have nothing to do but to 

 plough in a good coat of stable manure, and I will 



