164 ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOIL. 



Mrs. B. In its natural state of limestone it is of too 

 hard and compact a nature to be diffused in the soil ; and 

 even quick-lime would be too solid, were it not, that 

 through its combination with water and carbonic acid from 

 the atmosphere, it splits and crumbles to powder. 



I believe the experiment of pounding and grinding 

 lime-stone to powder, was tried in Scotland, in order to 

 save the expense of burning it into quick-lime, but not 

 found to be efficacious like the powder of slacked lime. 



Lime is particularly adapted to poor cold soils, such as 

 those of marshes, which have not energy to dissolve or- 

 ganic bodies. The quantity to be used must be propor- 

 tioned to the manure which is laid upon the ground ; for 

 the more organic matter there is to be dissolved, the 

 greater will be the quantity of lime required for that pur- 

 pose. To mix lime with peat-earth, is said to have an 

 immediate and most beneficial effect, and that many bogs, 

 having been previously drained, have been converted into 

 'fertile land. 



The lime procured from fossil-shells is highly esteemed 

 by agriculturists : its pre-eminence results, probably, from 

 its retaining some vestiges of organic remains of the ani- 

 mals who once inhabited these receptacles. 



Caroline. The shells of living animals must then be 

 still more valuable for this purpose ? 



Mrs. B. They are neither so readily, or so abundant- 

 ly obtained ; large strata of fossil-shell^ are to be found 

 in some soils, whilst of living shells you could procure at 

 most, the refuse of the fish-market. 



Ashes are very beneficial to the soil : they differ much 

 in their composition, according to the nature of the body 

 from the combustion of which they result, but their gen- 

 eral ingredients are potash, silex, and calcareous earth. 

 They attract moisture from the atmosphere, and thus ac- 

 celerate vegetation. 



Sulphate of lime, commonly called gypsum, is an excel- 

 lent amendement; but chemists are not agreed as to the 

 manner in which it acts on vegetation. It is strewed over 



901. Why mi '4 lit it not be used in it- natural state 1 ? 902. How 

 was it used, and with what success in Scotland! 903. To what soils 

 is it particularly suited! 904. What is said of it mixed with peat? 

 905. And of that obtained from fossil-ehellsl 906. What is said 

 of ashes and their influence upon soil 1 ? 907. And of the sulphate of 

 lime! 



