THE FARMERS' CABINET, 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



Vol. II.— No. 6.] 



Pliiladelpliia, October 17, 1837. 



[Whole No. 30. 



To the Editor of ihe Farmers' Cabinet. 



Liiiue. 



Having been requested by you to give 

 some views of Lime as applied to Agricul- 

 ture, I have refrained from so doing, until 

 time has been afforded for a degree of per- 

 sonal observat:>jn. In Agriculture, especial- 

 ly, theory, however plausible, should be 

 advanced with diffidence, and submitted as 

 soon as convenient to the touchstone of Ro- 

 ger Bacou— experiment. 



The limestone of Whitemarsh, Montgo- 

 mery county, Pennsylvania, my place of resi- 

 dence, is primitive, and remarkable for the 

 purity of the lime produced from it. Fifty 

 bushels, kiln measure, to the acre, are con- 

 sidered sufficient for our strong valley land, 

 under a succession of crops for six years. 

 The application is frequently made after the 

 lime has been exposed in large heaps, to the 

 action of the elements for many months. In 

 regard to the most judicious method for thel 

 introduction of lime to the soil, opinions vary ; 

 but almost all agree that every crop, is ma- 

 terially benefitted by any of the usual modes 

 of spreading. 



The effect of lime in decomposing vegeta- 

 ble matter is well known. 



Near the last of 8th mo. (August,) fifty 

 bushels of lime to the acre were spread over 

 a clover field almost run out, from which a 

 first crop of grass had been taken at the 

 usual time. The second crop grew tolera^ 

 : bly well, and was ploughed down with the 

 lime, preparatory to seeding with winter 

 grain. At the interval of four to five weeks 

 the ground was cross ploughed, and the ve- 

 getable mass of grass, weeds and roots, 

 found to be almost pulverized, and incorpo- 

 rated with the soil. 



It is customary with many farmers in this 



Cab.— Vol. II.— No. 6. 81 



vicinity, to apply a handful of ground plas- 

 ter to each hill of Indian corn, after it ap- 

 pears a few inches above ground. A small 

 portion of a corn field thus treated, was last 

 spring reserved for an experiment, with the 

 same quantity of powdered or fine lime, 

 applied in like manner. 



The result has been in favor of the lime, 

 both the stalk and ear of the corn, being 

 much superior to the average production of 

 the field. Your friend, 



Morris Lonsstreth. 

 Valley Green, 10 mo. 2iid, 1837. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



OBSERVER, No. XII. 

 If I rightly understand the design of the 

 Farmers' Cabinet, it is to open a channel of 

 communication between agriculturists — to 



record and publish facts and observations 



and to facilitate an interchange of opinion 

 among them. But facts so published, may 

 have been too hastily observed, some of the 

 [attending circumstances may have escaped 

 notice, rendering the inferences to be drawn 

 from them liable to error, and giving rise to 

 incorrect opinions. Too implicit reliance 

 on such facts, and inferences, and opinions, 

 would necessarily lead astray. Hence, it 

 becomes our proper business — yea, an im- 

 posed duty — to examine them for ourselves, 

 let the authority from whence they come be 

 what it may, for all men are liable to err in 

 these particulars. Indeed, the higher the 

 authority from whence an opinion emanates 

 the more imperative will be the duty to ex- 

 amine it, because, if erroneous, that authority 

 renders it more dangerous. For like rea- 

 sons, opinions which involve the most im- 

 pottant consequences, should be adopted 

 with the greatest caution. 



