No. 1. 



Lime, Of! a Manure. 



15 



this time, there is abund.uico of tbati lor iimiiy 

 more during the remaiiuiijr of the winter. In 

 dry weather the liorsesfeed on the boj,--, \vlii(;ii 

 is thickly covered with Horen priiss, pro- 

 duced by the lime and asiies, and in wet wea- 

 ther they retire to tlie hi<fhcr |);irts of the 

 field, where they feed amiiLst snow several 

 inches in thickness, which tlicy scrape away 

 with their feet; they are healtiiy and in ex- 

 cellent condition, although they liave had no 

 fodder or shelter even by nifjht. 



3rd March, 1827. — A most severe frost set 

 in on the 1st February, and contituicd niitil 

 the 26th, All tlie g^ras.s in the neighborhood 

 is totally dried up, and hay is selling fur eight, 

 pounds a ton. The seven horses are still in 

 the experimental fielil, from whence they 

 have not been absent da}' or night; in fine 

 weather, two other hor.-;(;s and a cow now 

 accompany them. The grass has sntrered 

 from the intensity of the frost, but the hor.ses 

 feed greedily upon it, tearing it up as though 

 it were of spring growth ; there is still sulli- 

 cient food for several more. 



27th April, 1827. — A very late spring; no 

 grass, even in the low meadows, and hay 

 Belling for ten pounds a ton. There are now 

 in the experimental field nine horses and a 

 COW, feeding indiscriminately on the old and 

 new grass, and they have sustained them- 

 selves admirably ; seven of the horses have 

 not had a handful of fodder, or any shelter 

 out the walls of the field, during the whole 

 winter. The lime has caused an early spring 

 •f grass, far superior to that, even in tlio low 

 meadows in the valley, and no droutrht or su- 

 perabundance of moisture will injure it in 

 the summer. 



2nd June, 1827. — A division ha^ boon mnde 

 across the experimental field, to prove the 

 value of the grass for hay. There are now, 

 and have been since the 14th of May, ten 

 horses and a cow in one-half tlie field, and 

 the grass grows much faster than they can 

 consume it; the horses are/w^, and the cow 

 is milked three times a day. 



9th July. — Carried the hny on half of the 

 limed meadow, without rain, of remarkably 

 fine herbage; a neighbor who is here will 

 not believe that no white clover was sown, it 

 is so abundant. If the season prove flivoralile, 

 it is intended to cut a second crop of hay from 

 the field. 



23rd August — Cut hay the second time on 

 the half of the limed meadow, a crop nearly 

 equal to the first in many parts of the field> 

 and of excellent quality. It appears that lime 

 has a remarkable effect on the aftermoth, 

 rendering it more substantial and nutritious, 

 better in quality and more in quantity. 



27th August — Carried the second crop of 

 hay without rain. A person who resides in 

 the valley, seeing the two crops of haj, a.n(i 



the number of norses and cows that have been 

 kc|)ton the land throughout the year, declares 

 ihe field to be wortli three pounds an acre 

 rent, for the fielding of milk cows. 



24th October. — ivrpfr/7neH<— Removed two 

 heiters from tlie limed meadow, to a field 

 of fine grass, which is watered from the sta- 

 ble yard : from tlie first they lost condition, 

 and in 14 days are 50 per cent worse lor 

 their removal. On taking them this day to 

 their old quarters, it was amusing to see with 

 wiiat avidity they began to devour the limed 

 grass. 



IfJth A'ovember. — The heifers have scarce- 

 ly yet recovered the effects of the experi- 

 ment 



23rd November, 1827. — The first snow. 

 Turned six mares and foals into the limed 

 meadow, in addition to the stock already 

 there, until the severity of the weather aba- 

 ted. 



2.5th December. — The mares and foals have 

 remained in the limed meadow since the 23rd 

 November. There has been the most trying 

 time for stock ever remembered ; incessant 

 storms of rain and wind. The cattle and 

 horses on the Forest have suffered exceed- 

 ingly, but those in the limed meadow are do- 

 ing well, without fodder, or other shelter than 

 the walls. 



2-')th January, 1828. — The horses are in the 

 I farther division of the limed meadow, with 

 [abundance of food. Cut the stack of hay of 

 I the second crop; it is well headed, and ex- 

 icellent f()r cows. 



I 8th Febrii.iry. — Season remarkably mild 

 ]and wet; the crass in the limed meadow, 

 I green and early in its growth as at the latter 

 'end of April the l:tst .-eason; the horses are 

 icaiing new srass with the old tog, as on the 

 l2Tt!i of thnt month last year. 

 I 12th February. — A deep snow. The 

 ' horses are hard at work scraping it away with 

 ! their feet, to reach the grass. 



19th April. — A very wet season, which has 

 ! proved the value of the limed grass; the 

 liorses are in excellent condition, and have 

 i wintered w,']l without fiidder. Not more 

 tlian one-third of the stock of hay of the se- 

 [rond crop, and none of the first, has been ex- 

 pi'nded, anil this has been fed to the cows. In 

 the farthest half of the limed meadow, there 

 are four horses by day and night, and six 

 cows during the day, and abundance of food 

 for all, 



V. B. Rincp wTitinff ttie abovp, a friond hns called on 

 me, who has hcon ^pfmdingsome time on the Tery spot, 

 tlio urnno of thf> nl)ovo montiniintl Inhnrs. IFe tells me, 

 the limod meadow still retains its manifest superiori- 

 ty over all the lands in the vicinity, and thBt the pro- 

 portion of white clover is murh nnemented. tontinii- 

 ine every ynr to increase. He hag reminded me of a 

 rireiimstance which I had fbreottcn ; in the yesr ^^^2^, 

 i had caused to he spread, to the thickness of two 

 inrhes, a sinerle wagon load of lime, upon a pari of ttie 

 j foreM irbich produced nottting but a thick luatting of 



