116 



Magnesian Lime. 



Vol. VII. 



life ; and I hold that where magnesia abounds, 

 vegetables take in such large quantities that 

 it produces disease and death. I have seen 

 corn and white clover flourish luxuriantly 

 where heaps of pure lime had been left by 

 carelessness in spreading, to the depth of 

 two or three inches. Now, it is well known 

 that the effects of magnesian lime in any 

 tiling like similar quantities, would have 

 prevented all vegetation for many years. 



The ground I take, is that the wheat plant 

 in South-eastern Pennsylvania, absorbs such 

 large quantities of magnesia, that it injures 

 the crop; and certainly until we know by 

 direct experiment, the amount necessary to 

 give to plants as food, or whether any, it is 

 " absurd" to buy magnesian in preference to 

 pure lime, however plausible it may appear 

 to the " opinion manufacturer." 



Upon the whole we may conclude, that if 

 there is but little known of the effects of 

 magnesia upon animal and vegetable life, 

 that little goes to strengthen the opinion 

 that it is " exceedingly injurious" to both. 



The facts and circumstances above stated, 

 form the grounds upon which my opinion is 

 founded on the subject of magnesian lime 

 as a manure ; I now ask where are the 

 proofs upon which your correspondent, S. 

 Lewis, rests his opinions] 



He relies entirely upon the fact, that 

 "magnesian lime, and no other" has pro- 

 duced surprising effects in the agriculture 

 of South-eastern Pennsylvania, which is no 

 proof at all, for no one has ever denied it — 

 no one has even insinuated that magnesian 

 lime is not beneficial to the soil. If S. 

 Lewis intends to rest his defence upon the 

 mere fact, or literal meaning of what he as- 

 serts, that the improvements in agriculture 

 have been produced by " magnesian lime 

 and no other," the argument is at an end. 

 He might, with as much reason assert, that 

 those improvements were made by sandy 

 lime and no other — the assertion might be 

 true, but destitute of interest and point. 

 Everybody knows the lime in dispute is im- 

 pure, but is there any one who prefers the 

 impurities to the lime itself! Is there one 

 farmer in South-eastern Pennsylvania, who 

 would buy sand or magnesia, instead of lime, 

 at the same price, if he had his choice 1 for 

 that is the real question at issue. As yet, 

 no one has shown that magnesia is in the 

 least degree useful as a manure; while on 

 the other hand, evidences are numerous of 

 its deleterious effects upon vegetable and 

 animal life ; its advocates therefore, should 

 either show some proof of its good qualities 

 as a food for plants, or abandon its defence. 



B. Webb. 



Wilmington, Delaware, Tenth mo. 5th, 1842. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Respected Friends, — My object in ad- 

 dressing you at this time, is to get informa- 

 tion. I manured my corn-field early last 

 spring, with the intention of seeding it this 

 fall and laying it down with grass; I have 

 been prevented from fully accomplishing 1 my 

 purpose, in consequence of the dry condition 

 of the ground, which has rendered it unfit 

 for working. After getting the field about 

 half broken up, I abandoned the operation, 

 seeing how poorly, after much labour, the 

 work was done. I now design, should I re- 

 ceive encouragement from any practical ope- 

 rator to plough very early in the spring — 

 sow oats and grass seeds, and either mow 

 the oats for hay, or cut and feed it in a 

 green state to my cattle. As I am entire- 

 ly unenlightened on this mode of culture, 

 and my neighbours around equally in the 

 dark, I wish to obtain all the information I 

 can through the medium of the Cabinet, 

 whose pages have been greatly conducive 

 to the benefit of the farmer. Such of your 

 readers as may have information to impart, 

 will please to do so, and oblige Roller. 



Montgomery County, Tenth mo. 25th, 1842. 



Picking winter apples. — The last of 

 September and fore part of October, is the 

 usual time for gathering winter apples ; the 

 flavor may be better if they are allowed to 

 hang on the tree till the middle of this 

 month, but the apples will not keep better, 

 and in many situations they are exposed to 

 waste. 



It is common to take a small basket on to 

 the tree and there fill it, then come down 

 and empty it, or let it down by means of 

 ropes, which will upset the basket; but a 

 better way is to prepare some bags or piles 

 of hay, and place them under the tree to 

 throw the apples on ; the bag or mass of hay 

 should be so formed, that the apples will roll 

 away from it as soon as they strike. With 

 this preparation a man will pick much faster 

 than he will with a basket tied to himself or 

 to his ladder. A boy below, can change the 

 position of the bag or cushion, and also pick 

 up the apples. — Mass. Ploughman. 



Toads. — Among the enemies of bees, the 

 toad has not been mentioned. I am not wil- 

 ling to bring a charge against any of my 

 fellow creatures, however humble in the 

 scale of creation; but the toad destroys 

 many bees. I have seen several skulking 

 near mine, and been informed that, on de- 

 stroying a toad, more than a dozen bees 

 were discovered in its stomach. — J. Murray. 



