THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



225 



once turning and watering the whole mass, it is 

 reduced to a complete powder ; in which state ii 

 should be applied to the soil, and ploughed in 

 irarnediatelj/ with a shallow furrow, when there 

 is no doubt but it will mix more inlin:iately with 

 the soil, than by the former method.* This plan, 

 however, is attended with an additional expense 

 of considerable magnitude. 



The necessity of slacking calcined lime, as 

 soon after it is burnt as possible, is obvious. II 

 any sudden rain should (all, it would be converted 

 into mortar ; no art can then separate it, and mix 

 it equally witli the soil ; nor would double the 

 quantity have the same good effect. Even after 

 it has been reduced to powder, if any rain should 

 happen to fall, or if by any means it receive too 

 much moisture, while it lies thin spread on the 

 surface of the field, it will partly be formed into 

 hard insoluble cakes, and may remain in that 

 state for years, without mixing with or being of 

 the least benefit to the soil. In the course of re- 

 peated ploughings, Mr. Patterson of Casile- 

 Huntly has observed pieces of hard lime come up, 

 as insoluble as if they had been pieces of an old 

 building. 



Considering these circuraetances, I was much 

 pleased (o find, that a mode had been discovered 

 by Mr. Niel Ballingal in Fife, which obviates 

 these difficulties. His plan is, to lay the calcined 

 lime down on any thick head-ridge of good earth, 

 within the field where it is to be applied, and the 

 instant it is so, two irien are ready to make up a 

 compost of the lime-shells and earth ; three cart- 

 loads of earth to one cart of shells, raised to a 

 ridge long and narrow, five feet high, that rain 

 may not enter if. The moisture in the earth 

 slacks or reduces the lime to a powder; it swells 

 to a considerable bulk, and then all cracks and 

 openings are closed with a spade, and a little 

 more earth put over the whole. In this way, 

 he has had it frequently mixed up for six months, 

 and in one particular instance fifteen months, be- 

 fore it was carted away ; and yet when carried 

 on to the land and spread, the whole mass put 

 on the appearance of white lime, flying with the 

 wind, as if newly (iom the kiln. This mode he 

 means always to follow, being certain of iis ad- 

 vantage. It can be mixed as intimately with the 

 soil as if new from the kiln, and he has had crops 

 from it, in this way, superior to an equal quantity 

 of hot limej both tried without dung. The ap- 

 plication commonly is to the summer-fallow : he 

 has also applied it to pasture, quite hot, and in 

 compost as above described, and found both an- 

 swer well: but the time of application was July, 

 and he soon found, that it ought to lie at least one 

 year or more before the field was ploughed. 



Mr. Ballingal having used from 500 to 1000 

 bolls per annum, (or several years, his experience 

 may be confidently relied on. He remarks, that 

 lime, if exposed to rain, or even to frost, and 



* Communication from Mr. Ronnie of Kinblethmont. 



t This is an important fact, it being generally sup- 

 posed that when inserted in the form of hot lime, in 

 a state of perfect powder, its effects are greater and 

 more immediate than in any other way. By Mr. 

 Ballingal's plan, the lime can be carried to the field 

 in autumn, or even in winter, which, though an old 

 practice, could not be done with equal safety, as 

 under the proposed system. 

 Vol. X.— 29 



slacked like mortar, loses half its effect ; no care 

 can (hen mix it intimately with the soil. His land 

 is wet, and often when the lime is driven unfit for 

 carting upon the field, nor are the ridges prepared 

 lor spreading the lime ; without having fallen up- 

 on such a plan, therefore, he could never have 

 used lime to equal advantage. He adds, that an 

 intelligent neighbor of his, brings his lime from 

 the kiln, lays it in small heaps, about a firlot of 

 shells in each heap, or /bur heaps ;)er boll, on (he 

 fallow ; covers these instantly with earth, which 

 slacks the lime, and when it is completely so, he 

 spreads it in powder, quite hot, on the fallows, 

 and ploughs it in with a light furrow. This saves 

 labor and expense. He never uses water in 

 slacking lime, and the effects of his practice 

 are very good ; the earth, or rather the moisture 

 in it, slacks the lime most completely, and no wa- 

 ter is necessary.* This is an excellent practice, 

 and very common in many counties : and many 

 intelligent farmers prefer it (o the other plan, 

 which they think would be attended with too 

 much expense to be generally imitated. At the 

 same lihie, an intimate mixture with the soil is 

 of the utmost importance in the application of 

 lime ; any plan that contributes to that object me- 

 rits attention. 



4. Mr. Dudgeon, of Primrose-Hill, considers it 

 to be the most advantageous mode of applying 

 lime, to lay it on in a powdery state, upon ground 

 vi^hen under summer-fallow, before the fallow 

 receives the last furrow, and then to mix it inti- 

 mately with the soil, by harrowing before it is 

 ploughed in. In regard to liming fallows, Mr. 

 Rennie of Phantassie observes, that it is the most 

 profitable mode of application, if it is laid on at a 

 proper season. He has been in the practice, for 

 these ten years past, o( laying lime on his fallows, 

 Irom the 1st of April to "the 1st of October, and 

 always found, that the first laid on produced (he 

 beet crops, which he ascribes to its being more 

 minutely mixed with the soil, by the more nume- 

 rous ploughings and harrowings, and of course 

 the fermentation more complete, than what is 

 laid on late in the season : June and July, there- 

 fore, are to be preferred, so that the lime may be 

 completely mixed with the soil before the crop 

 is sown ; and as it is both a valuable and ex- 

 pensive manure, too much attention cannot be 

 given it. 



Applying lime to green crops is attended with 

 more difliculty. From observation and practice, 

 Mr. Rennie recommends that, for a crop of tur- 

 !)ips, lime should be laid on so early in the spring 

 as to admit of two, if not three ploughings, and 

 as many harrowings, after it is laid on, so as both 

 to mix it properly with (he soil, and also to let it 

 have time to cool in (he land, otherwise it will be 

 verv apt to cause the loss of the turnip crop. 



Mr, Park of Windy-Mains is accustomed to 

 lay lime on the land intended for turnips, immedi- 



* A correspondent contends that lime is best laid on 

 the land in small heaps, and immediately covered with 

 earth, which in a damp or moist season slacks or falls 

 it ; but he frequently puts on water from a water-cart, 

 which slacks it directly, and it is immediately spread 

 in that quick state, harrowed, and ploughed in, when 

 it mixes most intimately with the soil. Lime should 

 be in powder, and the land in a powder-like state, 

 when it is laid on. 



