No. 4. 



Lime. 



123 



For the Faruiera' Cabinet. 



liiinc— Jts Application, ^c. 



On looking over the 43d No. of the Farm- 

 era' Cabinet, I find some information is elicit- 

 ed from me relative to the application of lime 

 and manure, 6lc. " How the lime is ap- 

 plied? the quantity per acre? the quality of the 

 lime? and the nature and constitution of the 

 soil to which it was applied." 



In reply to the above queries, I may state 

 that (with one exception) for the purpose of 

 improving poor land so as to produce f^ood 

 crops, with as little delay as possible, I have 

 thought it best to combine the lime and ma- 

 nure, by applying both for the same crop ; that 

 is, in preparing for a crop of corn I should 

 put on about 25 ox cart loads of barn yard 

 manure to the acre, spread it evenly and 

 plough late in the fall, harrowing it well be- 

 fore winter sets in. In the spring I spread on 

 sixty bushels of lime to the acre, again har- 

 rowing until the ground is in good order for 

 planting, it is then struck out lightly for plant- 

 ing, so as not to turn up the sward, nor is it 

 my wish in the cultivation of the corn crop 

 through the summer to plough so deep as to 

 disturb the manure, preferring that it should 

 decompose without exposure to the sun and 

 rain. By this means it is (i believe) in a 

 better prepared stale for the wheat crop that 

 follows. After the corn crop is taken off, I have 

 the ground ploughed deep so as to mix the 

 manure well with the earth, sow- broadcast 

 and harrow in. By this course I have raised 

 from sixty to seventy bushels of cornier acre 

 the first year, and from twenty-five to thirty 

 bushels of wheat, following the corn crop, and 

 from land that would not previously produce 

 oats worth cutting. I prefer ploughing in the 

 fall as above stated, under the impression that 

 the eggs of insects previously deposited are 

 in a measure destroyed by being exposed to 

 wet and frosts of winter. By adopting this 

 course I have never had my corn injured with 

 the cut worm — some farmers are opposed to 

 ploughing in the fall, because (as they say) 

 the ground becomes grassy and difficult after- 

 wards to keep under — this I know by experi 

 ence is the fact, and the reason is a want of 

 proper attention on the part of the farmer- 

 if he will harrow his ground well directly 

 after it is ploughed, and again in the spring, 

 he will not be troubled with grass — at least I 

 find it so. In harrowing in the spring, I 

 place a weight on so as to loosen the ground to 

 the sward, or as deep as can conveniently be 

 done; the ground by this means is placed in good 

 order not only for covering the corn, but gives 

 room for the easy spreading of its fibrous roots 

 while young and tender, and of course comes 

 up better and stronger than when the ground 

 is not well pulverized. 



In the exception alluded to above, the lime 

 was applied by itself, not having any manure 

 to spare at that time. It was a lot of eleven 

 acres of poor worn out land, and not wishing 

 that it should lie useless, I concluded to try 

 the effects of lime by itself — lor this purpose I 

 had tlie ground prepared and ploughed in the 

 spring, and understanding that poor land would 

 not bear much lime, I determined to ascertaia 

 that fact for my own satisfaction. I com- 

 menced putting on at the rate of one hundred 

 bushels of fresh valley lime per acre, gradually 

 reducing; finished at sixty bushels — the lime 

 was slacked, and spread immediately and sown 

 with oats, harrowing it in. The crop was 

 unusually large, and had to be cut with the 

 naked scythe, being all laid, (or lodged.) — 

 Where the most lime was put the crop was 

 best, and so continued to produce in succeed- 

 ing crops for many years afterwards. 



The lime used in the improvement of my 

 farm was fi-om the Great Valley (in Pennsyl- 

 vania) near Downingtown, which is consid- 

 ered of good quality for land Of late years I 

 have used oyster shell and Schuylkill lime — 

 the former I have had burnt on the farm, hav- 

 ing a kiln for that purpose. The refuse wood 

 only is used, say at the rate of li cords for 

 600 bushels of lime — the cost when burned 

 does not exceed eight cents per bushel — the 

 quantity per acre, from 150 to 200 bushels, 

 the latter quantity I consider fully equal to 

 100 bushels of stone lime, and the cost less, 

 having to give with us 25 cts. for the Valley 

 lime. Schuylkill can be had for 17 cts. burnt 

 with coal, or 20 cts. burnt with wood, but it 

 is generally too much slacked by the time it 

 reaches us, and in some instances (on being 

 analyzed) is found to contain too great a pro- 

 portion of magnesia. It would be well for 

 our agricultural societies to turn their atten- 

 tion to this subject, and publish the result of 

 their labors. 



The farm on which I reside is of primitive 

 formation — situation high — the soil naturally 

 poor, composed of clay, sand and gravel, va- 

 rying as to mixture more or less in the differ- 

 ent fields. Edward Tatnall. 



Braiuiywine, lOtlimo., 9th, 1830. 



I believe one reason why such numerous 

 instances of erudition occur among the lower 

 ranks is, that with the same powers of mind, 

 the poor student is limited to a narrow circle 

 for indulging his passion for books, and must 

 necessarily make himself master of the few 

 he possesses ere he can acquire more. 



Accurate knowledge is the best, and indeed 

 the only true foundation of true eloquence. 

 Lord Chesterfield seems to think otherwise ; 

 but the eloquence he recommends is like hie 

 favorite system of mannera, not.solid, but 

 showy and superficial. 



