250 



Magnesian Lime. 



Vol. VII. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Magnesian Lime. 



Observing in the last two or three num- 

 bers of the Cabinet, various opinions with 

 regard to the use of magnesian lime, I will 

 give my own experience in connexion with 

 that of some others, and leave the inquiring 

 reader to judge for himself. 



In the sixth month, of 1837, I applied 

 1000 bushels of Schuylkill slacked lime, 

 said to contain a large portion of magnesia, 

 to about 15 acres; the soil was so thin that 

 under the most favourable circumstances, as 

 to season and good cultivation, I could not 

 have calculated, without the aid of artificial 

 means, upon more than from 12 to 15 bush- 

 els of corn to the acre. In the autumn of 

 the same year, I perceived a trifling im- 

 provement in the appearance of the grass, 

 which in the ensuing spring, was still more 

 perceptible, and which continued up to the 

 commencement of the severe drought of that 

 year. Late in the fall, after the abundant 

 rains, the blue grass sprang up quite thick 

 through the poverty grass which had here- 

 tofore covered the surface. Early in the 

 spring following it was ploughed, but not so 

 deep as I should otherwise have done, wish- 

 ing to avoid burying the lime too deep. Be- 

 tween the 24th and 27th of fourth month, 

 it was planted in corn, and as the soil was 

 very thin, I had it run out full four and a 

 half feet wide, and planted in the rows 

 about two feet apart. It came up well, and 

 continued remarkably healthy and vigorous, 

 through the whole season. It had three 

 dressings with the cultivator, and was hoed 

 only enough to smother the grass between 

 the hills; the result was from 85 to 40 bush- 

 els per acre. I think I should have had at 

 least five bushels more to the acre, but fur a 

 violent storm early in the eighth month, of 

 rain and wind, which prostrated the whole 

 field in such a way, that it never afterwards 

 stood upright, besides which, a great deal 

 was broken entirely off*. The same fall the 

 field was sown in rye, and the spring follow 

 ing, with timothy and clover seed ; it has 

 now the appearance of land of more than a 

 medium quality. It may be remarked that 

 about one-fourth of this field was not limed; 

 but the corn was manured in the hill, with 

 hog-pen manure and wood-pile scrapings, 

 which were decidedly beneficial ; the corn 

 was still not to be compared with the part 

 that was limed ; and a transient observer, at 

 the distmce of a mile, at this day, could 

 hardly fail to notice the improved appear- 

 ance of the part that was limed, over that 

 which was manured. 



The combination of magnesia, or some 



other deleterious substance, with this lime, I 

 think is evident from the fact, that it was in 

 the first place hauled in the field and put 

 in two piles : when spread, it was taken 

 with due care from the bottom of one of the 

 piles, so as not to leave it thicker than upon 

 the surrounding ground; consequently the 

 corn grew equally well upon this spot, as 

 upon the other parts limed. The other pile, 

 from some accidental cause, was not taken 

 away so carefully — upon this spot the corn 

 came up, but soon withered and died, nor 

 has any thing more than a stinted vegeta- 

 tion grown upon it since. 



This experiment, I think, shows conclu- 

 sively the following results: — first, that lime, 

 although containing a large portion of mag- 

 nesia, is an excellent fertilizer, when put on 

 in moderate quantities. Secondly, when put 

 on lavishly, it destroys vegetation : — and 

 thirdly, when spread upon the grass, and 

 allowed to remain two or three years before 

 ploughing, it acts powerfully on the first 

 crop. 



Whilst on the subject, the writer will take 

 occasion to say, that the district of country 

 in which he resides, (Harford county, Md.,) 

 now has access, through the medium of the 

 tide-water canal and the Conestoga naviga- 

 tion, to the inexhaustible beds of limestone, 

 in both York and Lancaster counties. The 

 qualities of this lime vary materially — some 

 is said to partake largely of magnesia, other 

 of magnesia and slate, other of magnesia 

 and sand; and other again, with but a small 

 portion of magnesia. The writer of this 

 thinks he feels warranted in saying, that of 

 this latter description, from 3 to 400 bushels 

 might be applied to the acre, without any 

 injurious effect, yet he is convinced that no 

 advantage could result to the crop that would 

 justify so lavish an application. Economy 

 would forbid it. If from 50 to 100 bushels 

 per acre, admitting it may have in it a por- 

 tion of magnesia, will produce a crop which 

 in a general way appears to give satisfac- 

 tion, I can see no inducement to make so 

 large an outlay of capital, unless it be to 

 prove that pure lime is perfectly harmless, 

 notwithstanding the quantity put. on — whilst 

 we dare not use the magnesian lime so lav- 

 ishly. 



I have been the more disposed to take up 

 my pen, from reading an article in the last 

 number of the Cabinet, over the signature 

 of Isaac Wayne Van Leer. I acknowledge 

 my own experience in the use of lime is 

 limited ; but I will venture the opinion, that 

 all past experience is against his unqualified 

 denunciation, not only of magnesian lime, 

 but from the anecdote relating to Colonel 

 Brooking, in connexion with some other ex- 



