16 



FARMERS' REGISTER— USE OF LIME. 



slake it to a powder, is tlien thrown upon it. As 

 soon as slaked, it is loaded into carts, and men with 

 shovels distribute it as equally as possible over the 

 ground. It is g'cnerally considered best to put it 

 on the ground whilst it is fresh, or xvarm, as the 

 phrase is ; and it is certainly easier to spread it 

 equally, while in a light pulverised state, than 

 alter it gets much wet with rains. I am inclined 

 to think, too, it is belter for the land^ vv'hcn applied 

 fresh from the kiln. 



Query IV. " To what crops is it most advan- 

 tageously applied, and at what seasons.^" 



Answer. It is usually applied, as already inti- 

 mated, to the crop of Indian corn, in the spring of 

 the year — say the montli of April. Occasionally 

 it is applied, preparatory to sowing wheat, in au- 

 tumn. When used as a top dressing, on tlie sod, 

 it is generally applied in the tall — say November. 

 The prevailing impression is, that it is most ad- 

 vantageously applied to the Indian corn crop ; and 

 hence the general practice. But the truth is, it is 

 highly advantageous at any, and at all seasons ; — 

 and our shrewd old farmers have a saying, — " Get 

 yoiir lime on for your corn, if you can, — but be sure 

 you get it on the land some time in the year." 



Query V. "How is it incorporated with the soil 

 — by the plough or the harrow? and is it applied 

 in any case as a top dressing to grass and to grains^ 

 and with Avhat eifect.'^" 



Answer. As already stated, after the sod is 

 ploughed down for Indian corn, it is usually har- 

 rowed once, to render the surface more uniform. 

 The lime is spread as equally as possible over the 

 field, and then the ground is well harrowed in diffe- 

 rent directions, in order to incorporate the lime 

 with the soil. Soon afterwards the field is marked 

 out, and planted with corn. The plough is rarely, 

 if ever used, for the purpose alluded to. I have 

 mentioned above, that lime is occasionally used as 

 a top dressing, for grass. It appears to be particu- 

 larly beneficial to tliat crop, and answers extreme- 

 ly Xvell, when applied in that manner. The prac- 

 tice of applying it to Indian corn, as above re- 

 lated, is, however, chiefly followed ; and the ap- 

 plication of a dressing to each field, in rotation, 

 causes as much labor and expense every year, as 

 our farmers generally are willing to incur. Lime 

 has rarely been used as a top dressing to grain 

 crops, within my knowledge. 



Query VI. " What is the ordinary cost, per 

 acre, of liming, and the relative profits, in in- 

 creased products, of a period of years .^" 



Answer. Quick lime, at the kilns, usually costs 

 twelve and a half cents per bushel. The farmers 

 generally haul it with their own teams, and the 

 additional expense depends, of course, materially 

 upon tlie distance. It is frequently hauled by them 

 a distance of eight, ten, and even twelve miles. — 

 The average, peidiaps, is about five or six miles. 

 It is delivered to me by the lime burners, (a dis- 

 tance of near six miles) at eighteen cents per 

 bushel. At the rate of forty bushels to the acre, 

 the cost, at eighteen cents, Avould be "^1 20 cents 

 per acre. It is difficult to estimate, with preci- 

 sion, the relative profits, in increased products. — 

 But I can safely say, from my own experience, on 

 a small flirm of middling quality, tliat two dres- 

 sings of lime at the above rate, in the course of 

 eight or nine years have more than trebled the 

 products of the land to which it was applied, both 

 in grain and grass. It is to be understood, how- 



ever, that the system of ploughing only so much 

 ground as could be well manured, was adopted at 

 the same time. I )nay also observe, generally, 

 that the farmers of this district, (v/ho are shrewd 

 economists) are so well convinced of the beneficial 

 effects of liming, that, costly as its application 

 seems to be, they are unanimous in sparing no 

 effort to procure it. Lime has been found to be 

 peculiarly fivorable to the grov/th of pasture, 

 when the farm is otherwise well managed : and, as 

 our farmers are mostly in the practice of feeding 

 cattle, tliey resort to liming as an indispensable 

 auxiliary to successful grazing. 



Query VII. " Is lime applied with yard ma- 

 nures, or earthy composts, and with Avhat results?" 



Answer. I have already intimated that vegeta- 

 ble matters, and especially yard manures, are 

 highly important in conjunction with lime. Both 

 a,re valuable, even when used separately; — but 

 when combined, the effect is most complete. If 

 to this be added that great secret of good farming, 

 viz. to plough only so much ground as can be well 

 manured, the state of agriculture may be con- 

 sidered nearly perfect. 



Lime is, in some instances, added to earthy com- 

 posts, preparatory to distribution on the field. But 

 it is doul-ttful whether the extra labor of this method 

 is compensated by any peculiar advantages. It is 

 not generally practised. 



Query VIII. " Is powdered limestone (carbo- 

 nate of lime) applied to soils — and if so, does it 

 induce fertility otherwise than by mechanically 

 ameliorating their texture?" 



Answer. No instance of powdered limestone 

 being applied to soils has come under my notice. 

 I can, tiierefore, form but a very imperfect opinion 

 of its utility. If it Avere even as beneficial as 

 quick lime, (which I doubt) I apprehend it could 

 not be procured and applied with less cost and 

 labor. . 



Query IX. " On what soils, if any, in your 

 neighborhood, is lime found to be inoperative, as a 

 fertilizing apjdication, and the cause of its failure?" 



Answer. There is no soil in this district, deemed 

 worthy of cultivation, on which lime is ivholly in- 

 operative as a fertilizer. On some sterile, slaty 

 ridges, and on magnesian rocks, it has indeed but 

 a slight effect ; and even the benefits of barnyard 

 manure are very transient. In low, swampy 

 grounds, also, unless they are previously well 

 drained, the labor of applying lime is pretty much 

 thrown away. There seems to be something ia 

 the constitution of magnesian rocks peculiarly un- 

 friendly to the growth of the more valuable plants. 

 Indeed, there are patches of the soil perfectly des- 

 titute of all vegetation. Repeated attempts have 

 been made to cultivate the bases of our serpentine 

 banks, but neither lime nor manui-e, will enable 

 the farmer to obtain more than a light crop of 

 small grain. Neitlier clover, nor the valuable 

 grasses can be induced to take root and flourish in 

 the ungenial soil. It is, therefox'e, almost univer- 

 sally neglected. 



I have thus endeavored (in rather a desultory 

 manner, I confess,) to answer your queries ac- 

 cording to my best judgment, if what I have 

 furnislied shall in any diegree tend to make the 

 sulyect better understood, I shall be amply grati- 

 fied. With great respect, I have the honor to be, 

 your obedient servaiit, Wm. Darlijvgton, 



Jesse Buel, Esq. Cor. Sec. &c. 



