MANURES. 263 



But there is scarcely any thing which we apply to the land that 

 does not owe very much of its fertilizing influence to its mechani- 

 cal action. For instance, stable manure, when plowed into the 

 soil, by its decomposition elevates its temperature, by its fibrous 

 texture separates its particles, and by the power of its organic 

 matter to absorb moisture prevents very light soils from becoming 

 too dry, while, from its loosening action, it hastens the drying of 

 heavy wet lands. Nearly all manures, also, of which the con- 

 stituents have a chemical action on the particles of the soil have 

 the effect of breaking down the coarser clods or larger particles, and 

 lessening or increasing their adhesion, and of roughening their 

 particles, giving them greater ability to absorb moisture and 

 greater ability to transmit excessive moisture to or through the 

 sub-soil below. 



It would require more space and consideration than is consist- 

 ent with the plan of this book to enter very largely into the dis- 

 cussion of this branch of the subject. But any farmer who will 

 give himself the trouble to consider the different points enumer- 

 ated above, and to watch the effect on the mechanical condition 

 of the soil of almost every manure that he applies, will see that 

 this mechanical action constitutes no mean part of the influence 

 that manures exert on vegetation. 



Lime^ however, an element which exists in almost all soils in 

 considerable quantity, almost invariably in sufficient quantity to 

 supply the lime required for the simple formation of the ashy part 

 of plants, is found to be in many districts the most powerful agent 

 for the amelioration of the condition of the soil, and for the per- 

 manent increase of its fertility. It is a singular fact that precisely 

 such soils as are formed by the decomposition of limestone rocks, 

 and which, as a necessarv consequence, contain a very large per- 

 centage of lime, are the very ones which are most benefited by 

 the application of caustic or slacked lime. In these cases it is 

 undoubtedly true that the action of the lime as a solvent and as a 

 mechanical manure must account for its beneficial effect. 



From an article entitled, " Lime on Hill Pastures," contributed 

 by Prof. Johnson to the first number of Hearth and Home^ I quote 



