THE FARMERS' CABINET, 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



Vol. 11— Ko. 7.] 



Philadelpliia, November 1, liS37< 



[Whole Ko. 31. 



Ijinie. 



[The Baltimore Farmer and Gardener gives 

 the following valuable remarks on the uses of 

 lime as a manure, in reply to questions of a 

 correspondent. There continues to be much 

 of ignorance as to the value of this article, 

 though much has been written about it. It 

 ought not to continue.] 



Lime as a meliorator of the soil was used 

 in the earlier days of the Roman Empire ; its 

 advantages were seen and acknowledged ; 

 its wonder-working powers were visible on 

 ten thousand fields, centuries by-gone; but 

 strange as it may seem — unnatural as is the 

 fact — it is nevertheless true, that there are 

 innumerable instances of highly intelligent 

 farmers who still doubt its efficacy. That 

 those who from the prejudice of misdirected 

 or imperfect education, are incompetent to 

 judge correctly, should still be sceptical, ex- 

 cites no surprise in our mind : for ignorance 

 abounds in every business of life, and we have 

 seen men who have been raised to the avo- 

 cations of the soil from their "swaddling 

 clothes," decrying the virtues of lime as 

 stoutly as though they really knew something 

 about it. We know an individual of this 

 description, who is really so consummate a 

 mass of animal matter, that if by any chance 

 accident, or freak of the moon, an idea were 

 to stray into the cells of his brain, an imme- 

 diate eruption would be the consequence — 

 and this man will attempt to be witty at the 

 expense of those who are so " silly as to 

 waste their money in buying lime," for agri- 

 cultural purposes. But to return to the in- 

 quiries of our esteemed correspondent: 

 1st. " Its adaptation to various soils?" 

 It is adapted to the improvement of any 

 soil wherein too much water does not abound. 

 CAii,— Vol. II.— No. 7. 97 



For instance to apply it to a wet marshy spot, 

 would be a waste of means, as the lime in 

 such a position could not perform its office, 

 as it would become a mass of disintegrated 

 mortar. 



It, however, improves clays, by separating 

 the adhesive particles of which they are com- 

 posed, thus rendering the entire body more 

 friable and easier of being penetrated bv the 

 roots of plants and vegetables. If tliere be, 

 as there frequently is, a superabundance of 

 acid in the soil to which it may be applied, 

 it neutralizes that acid, and renders the earth 

 more healthful to vegetation. The weed 

 known as the sheep sorrel, whose presence is 

 the certain indication of too much acid in the 

 soil, will disappear upon the application of 

 lime, and give place to a more wholesome 

 growth of plants. Upon sandy soils, lime 

 exerts a most happy effect, by imparting to 

 them that principle of tenacity, so essential 

 to the power of retaining manures. In a word 

 it may be said that lime suits all soils, except 

 those that are continually wet. 



2d. " The proper time and mode of apply- 

 ing]" 



These must be determined by circum- 

 stances. If the soil be what is called new 

 ground, we would say, the lime should be 

 spread on the surface, ploughed in during the 

 fall, and on the opening of the sprino- the 

 fields should be ploughed again, in order that 

 the lime may be brought to the surface. 



If it be a clover lay or a grass sward, in- 

 tended for wheat, we would say, spread tlje 

 lime and plough it in a few days before seed- 

 ing. 



If a sod, intended for corn, we would say — 

 spread the lime and plough it in during the 

 fall, and replough in the spring, just before 

 corn-planting time. 



