244 



LIM 



LIM 



not have such an effect as the first, 

 in increasing the fertihty of the 

 soil. But the farnrier should con- 

 sider how far he has been recom- 

 pensed b) extraordinary crops, 

 for the exhausting of his soil ; and 

 that if lime will not, other manures 

 wdl recruit it. So will fallowing, 

 rest, or using it as a pasture. 



It is granted that lime may have 

 an ill effect, when it is injudiciously 

 applied, as in too great quantities, 

 or to an improper soil. Thret 

 cart loads, or 120 bushels, are al- 

 lowed to be a suthcient dressing for 

 an acre. But in Ireland, where 

 they plough extremely deep, they 

 lay on twice as much. This dress- 

 ing enriches cold, stiff and clayey 

 soils, for many years after ; and in 

 such soils it may be safely repeat- 

 ed. If it force any soils too much, 

 it can be only those which are 

 weak and sandy. 



The best time for applying lime 

 as a manure is, when land is newly 

 broivt n up, or after laying a long 

 time in grass. Tliis may be as- 

 cribed to the plenty of roots in the 

 sod, which the lime soon dissolves, 

 and changes into food for plants. 



Mr. Kvelyn advised to the mix- 

 ing of hme with turf in alternate 

 layers, to lie in heaps for months ; 

 in which time it will become so 

 rich and mellow as to run like 

 ashes. He thought it would nour- 

 ish the soil more than ff ust d alone 

 in a greater quantity, and without 

 any danger of exhausting the vege- 

 tative virtue of the earth, which 

 should be [)reserved. If it were 

 mixed with a large proportion 

 of clay, or wi+h mud from the 

 bottom of pouds or rivers, it might 



be applied even to sandy and gra- 

 velly soils without danger, and to 

 great advantage, 



Lime is a very important ingre- 

 dient in composts, as by raising a 

 strong fermentation it dissolves 

 and prepares the other materials, 

 'inhere should be some layers of it, 

 where it can be easily obtained, 

 in every heap of compost. It will 

 be the sooner fit for use, as well as 

 prove to be a more fertilizing com- 

 position. 



When lin^e is laid on land which 

 has a quick descent, it should al- 

 ways be mixed with dung, and laid 

 on the highest part ; because it so 

 loosens tlie soil, as to dispose it to 

 be plentifully washed downvvards 

 by rains, soil and manure together. 



Lime is an excellent manure for 

 soils that are mossy, as it speeddy 

 dissolves the oil which is contained 

 in moss, which is not soon dissolv- 

 ed by other manures, and changes 

 it to vegetable food. It destroys 

 all aquatic weeds, and dissolves 

 the renuninders of decayed vege- 

 tables in the soil. Therefore it 

 does well in moory and peaty 

 swamps that are drained. 



While I am treating on this ex- 

 cellent manure, I have the disa- 

 greeable reflection, that it will be 

 to little purpose ; as lime is so 

 scarce and dear in most parts of 

 the country, that it must not be 

 used as manure. Most people can 

 scarcely obtain a sufficient quan- 

 tity of it for building. But those 

 farmers who know they have lime- 

 stone or shells in plenty near them, 

 should not neglect to make use of 

 them as manures, after reducing 

 them to lime. 



