842 



Absorbent Effects of Lime. — Protection of Corn. Vol. VI. 



and at the same time shovelled clean up the 

 loose earth left behind the spade, and threw 

 that on it. This I levelled in the bottom of 

 the trench, and trod hard with my feet, mak- 

 ing it firm and compact ; and thus I had the 

 whole body of the soil in which were the liv- 

 ing insects with their eggs, &c., firmly fixed 

 in the bottom of the trench, and not likely 

 again to be disturbed by after work on the 

 surface. On this layer of earth, trodden as 

 firm as a barn floor, I wheeled in a compound 

 previously prepared, consisting of two-thirds 

 lime and one of sand, one inch thick, and upon 

 this I turned over the remainder of the trench 

 to the depth of two feet; and in the same 

 manner, went over the whole piece, always 

 putting in the compost above the trodden 

 earth in the bottom of the trench; and finish- 

 ing by scattering over the surface about three- 

 quarters of an inch in thickness of the above 

 compost, and digging it lightly in, thus to lie 

 exposed to the frost of the winter, repeatedly 

 digging and presenting a new surface to the 

 weather when opportunity served. In the 

 month of April, I slightly dug the surface, 

 and drew the drills 18 inches apart and an 

 inch deep, sowing the seed of the Altringham 

 variety of the carrot pretty thick, and finish- 

 ing by a slight rolling. When the plants 

 were three inches in height, I thinned them 

 to four inches apart in the rows, choosing a 

 damp day for the purpose — a necessary pre- 

 caution, as I have known whole crops de- 

 stroyed by thinning in dry, hot weather; the 

 ground being left open about their slender 

 roots, the heat dried them up and caused their 

 death in a very short time: if this work can 

 be performed during a gentle rain, so much 

 the better. The crop of carrots grew rapidly 

 after this operation, and at the end of Octo- 

 ber, presented an appearance not equalled in 

 that part of the country ; no mark of worm or 

 rust upon them: they were acknowledged to 

 be the best that had ever been grown in the 

 same garden during my employer's lifetime. 



C. W. 



Absorbent Effects of Lime. 



Lime possesses other properties besides that 

 of neutralizing acids ; one of the most remark- 

 able being its power to absorb putrescent ma- 

 nures, and to hold the fertilizing essence un- 

 til it is wanted by the crop through every vi- 

 cissitude of the seasons, and through indefi- 

 nite periods of time — there it is, locked up, 

 and nothing at common temperatures but the 

 energy of a growing plant can unlock it. 

 Lime is styled the basis of all good hus- 

 bandry ; it stores up the manure that is not 

 immediately wanted for future use, and thus 

 becomes a kind of save-all. When the sup- 

 plies from the barn-yard are spread and 



ploughed into a soil that is nearly destitute 

 of lime, the growing crop catches only a part 

 of its virtue, a large portion escaping, and but 

 little will be left for the benefit of succeeding 

 crops. Lime fixes the volatile substance, and 

 parts with it gradually, and in the proportion 

 as well as at the time it is most needed. Un- 

 wholesome and villanous smells are absorbed 

 by lime; and some places, and even extensive 

 districts of country, once remarkable for in- 

 salubrity, have been changed in their charac- 

 ter by liming aiound them, and thus nuisances 

 are converted into manures. A striking illus- 

 tration of this principle is thus recorded in 

 Ruffin's invaluable essay on calcareous ma- 

 nures. The carcase of a cow was laid on the 

 ground and covered with 25 bushels of broken 

 shells mixed with 45 bushels of earth; the 

 process of putrefaction was slow, and several 

 weeks passed before it was over; nor was it 

 ever so violent as to throw off any effluvia 

 that the earth, rendered calcareous by the 

 shells, did not intercept in its escape, so that 

 no offensive smell was ever perceived to arise 

 from the decomposing mass, which, in a few 

 months was turned over and carried abroad, 

 furnishing a dressing suflScient for the sixth 

 part of an acre of wheat, the effects produced 

 far exceeding that of other calcareous manure 

 applied at the same time on the surrounding 

 land. But the farmer must not suppose that 

 calcareous earth enriches a soil by direct 

 means; it destroys the worst foe to produc- 

 tiveness, acidity, and uses to the greatest ad- 

 vantage the fertilizing powers of other ma- 

 nures — being the strong box for the treasure, 

 rather than the treasure itself. — Thomas's 

 Address. 



Protection of Corn against Crows. 



The best scare-crows we have ever used, 

 were bright sheets of tin suspended from poles 

 by wires — the poles of sufficient height, and 

 in sufficient numbers to be seen all over the 

 field. Four or six, if judiciously placed, will 

 effectually answer for a field of 50 acres. 

 Our mode of fixing them was this: we cut a 

 pole of sufficient height; trimmed off" all the 

 limbs but the upper one; to the end of this 

 limb we attached, by a strong flexible wire, 

 a sheet of tin, and planted the pole thus pro- 

 vided, firmly in the ground, on the destined 

 spot. The limb left at the top, should project 

 horizontally far enough to allow full play to 

 the tin. Thus attached, the slightest breeze 

 gives motion to the tin, and consequently 

 causes a reflection so sudden as to effectually 

 frighten ofl^ crows, or other birds addicted to 

 picking up the corn. Three years' successful 

 use of such scare-crows, justify us in recom- 

 mending them to our brethren. — American 

 Farmer. 



