172 



Lime. — The Fly. 



Vol. V. 



and supports the position, that when lime is 

 used, a smaller quantity of manure is requi- 

 site for a succession of crops, because the 

 lime being placed on the ground with, or be- 

 fore the manure, is mixed and combined with 

 it, forming a humate or geate of lime, which 

 being slowly soluble, lasts much longer than 

 would the dung alone; and, whilst it lasts, is 

 precisely the material which enters into, and 

 forms the substance of every plant that grows: 

 but, when there is a deficiency of lime, one 

 of the material substances of vegetation is 

 wanting, and then the others cannot so well 

 perform their part without it — as well might 

 the baker attempt to make light bread, with- 

 out a leaven that would generate carbonic 

 acid gas, as the farmer to raise wheat with- 

 out lime, or magnesia, or silex, the latter be- 

 ing also an essential ingredient. It is well 

 known to farmers, that rich land requires 

 more lime than poor land, and this is per- 

 fectly consistent with the principle which we 

 have laid down. Soils abounding in vegeta- 

 ble matter should have lime enough added to 

 form the proper compound, and will require 

 a good deal for this purpose; whereas that 

 which has but little vegetable matter, and is 

 denominated poor, wants but little lime to 

 bring that matter into an active state. 



To return to our author, and do him justice ; 

 he admits for mild lime, what we claim for it 

 in every form — antiseptic properties — but 

 thinks it has no effect whatever on woody fibre. 



His fallacy regarding hot lime, leads hiiji 

 to the conclusion, that " it is useful in all cases 

 where there is an excess of undecomposed 

 vegetable fibre, as in peat soils, moors, heaths, 

 &c." But, although lime has long been es- 

 teemed an essential ingredient in composts, 

 we doubt the fact, with some exceptions, as, 

 where there is an acidulous substance to be 

 neutralized, or some pernicious seeds to be 

 destroyed, or where a too rapid putrescence 

 may be apprehended. 



Peat soils, and moor or swamp earths, are 

 likely to abound with acids, and here lime 

 may be of service; but, were we preparing 

 a compost heap of " undecomposed vegetable 

 jihre^'' we would avoid lime, and add water, 

 if necessary to produce fermentation — after 

 which, and when decomposition has ensued — 

 that is, when the vegetable fibre is converted 

 into humic acid, lime might be added in suffi- 

 cient quantity to produce humate of lime, using 

 lime in the mild state, and avoiding an excess. 



Some years since, we made a compost-heap 

 of tussocks from a swamp, the shovelings or 

 sediment of a ditch, and semi-caustic or halt- 

 slaked lime ; after two or three months, we 

 had it " forked up," and the tussocks were 

 sound and bright; we left it remain during 

 the winter, and, on hauling it out, found the 

 tussocks but partially decomposed. Had there 



been no lime present, a better result would 

 have been obtained ; or had the addition of 

 lime been deferred two or three months, we 

 would have had a more perfect decomposition 

 of the materials, and the lime would then have 

 come in as a proper and valuable ingredient. 

 In conclusion, without the presence of lime, 

 we cannot have a vigorous and wholesome 

 growth of crops. This valuable fertilizer ex- 

 ists in more forms than we are aware of. 

 Even river and spring-water contains from IJJ 

 to 3 parts in 10,000 of lime, magnesia and 

 other alkaline substances. The farmer has, 

 therefore, to ascertain, by experiment or skil- 

 ful observation, the deficiency, and add enough 

 to bring his soil to the proper standard, which 

 may be pretty accurately determined by care- 

 ful observation, aided by some scientific know- 

 ledge of the nature and composition of the 

 land he wishes to cultivate and improve. 

 Due regard should also be had to the quan- 

 tity of inert animal substances and vegetable 

 fibre, for in the proportion that they exist, 

 should the quantity of lime be increased, to 

 convert them into active food for vegetation. 



A. S. R. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 The Fly— The Fly! 



Mr. Editor, — The last time I saw thee, 1 

 said I thought J. G. had been premature in 

 ploughing up his wheat that had been at- 

 tacked by the fly, and observed that the fine 

 sample of French Odessa wheat, which I had 

 received for cultivation, had come up remark- 

 ably strong, and was growing most hand- 

 somely. For the last few days, however, I 

 have observed that its appearance was 

 changed, and, on examining it, now that the 

 snow has just left, I find it one mass of cor- 

 ruption, many of the stalks being loaded with 

 eight or ten nits, and a great portion of it rot- 

 ted off at the ground ! 



Now I too should be glad to know what 

 your correspondents, "Vir" and "Edmund 

 Cross" will say to this. One thing is pretty 

 certain : that we are all at sea upon the sub- 

 ject, must, I think, be admitted, but how far 

 their theory — namely, that the fly is the ef' 

 feet of disease and not the cause — is correct, 

 yet remains to be proved. In the present 

 stage of the question, therefore, I think it be- 

 hoves us to suspend all rashness in our judg- 

 ment, and bend our minds to the examination 

 of a circumstance which has hitherto cast all 

 our calculations behind ; but I venture to ask, 

 if sowing at any particular period of the sea- 

 son were a preventive, would not some of us 

 by this time have discovered it, and be able 

 to operate so as to secure ourselves against 

 the recurrence of so enormous an evil 1 



Thirty Years a Farmeb. 

 Delaware County. 



