358 PROGRESS OP LIMING, 



vcr), which effects of marling are in addition to all the direct benefit pro- 

 duced, would alone serve to give a new face to the agriculture of the 

 country. Whatever may be done by clover, and almost every thing that 

 can be done to profit by vegetable manures, on the much larger propor- 

 tion of the lands of lower Virgina, will be due to the application of marl 

 or lime. 



" Liming. The kindred improvement by liming began to be extensively 

 practised on some of the best James river lands, where no marl was found, 

 soon after the use of the latter began to extend. Who may have made 

 the earliest and small applications of lime is not known, nor is it at all im- 

 portant. The earlier profitable use of lime in Pennsylvania, and the much 

 earlier and more extended use in Britain, were known to every well in- 

 formed or reading farmer. Such a one was Fielding Lewis, of Charles City, 

 as well as a most attentive, judicious, and successful practical cultivator 

 and improver. He is believed to have been the earliest considerable limer, 

 and the one who obtained the most manifest profits therefrom, and whose 

 example had most effect in spreading the practice. Some of his disciples 

 and followers have since, in greater rapidity and wider extent of opera- 

 tions, far surpassed their teacher and leader to whom, however, they 

 award the highest meed of praise for bringing into use, and establishing, 

 this great benefit to the agriculture of lower Virginia. Nearly all the best 

 soils on James river are comparatively of low level, as if of ancient alluvial 

 formation, and have no marl, with which the neighbouring higher and 

 poorer lands are mostly supplied. Of such rich lands are the farms of Wey- 

 anoke, Sandy Point, Westover, and Shirley, &c., in Charles City, and 

 Brandon (Upper and Lower), in Prince George and on all these lands, as 

 well as some others, lime has been largely applied. The use is extending 

 to the lands on and near to all the tide-waters of the state ; and it has re- 

 cently received a new impulse from the low price at which northern stone- 

 lime is now brought and sold. It is ready slaked, and the vessels are 

 loaded in bulk. The lime is sold on James river at 10 cents the bushel, 

 and even may be contracted for at 8 cents, from vessels that come for car- 

 goes of wood, and would come empty but for bringing lime. The greater 

 lightness and cheaper transportation of lime will enable it to be applied 

 where marl could not be carried with profit; and with the two, there will 

 be but little of lower Virginia which may not be profitably improved by 

 calcareous manures."* 



With all the caution proper to be used in a report made to a 

 Board of Agriculture, and through it to the government of the 

 commonwealth, the writer dared to predict, in 1842 (as quoted 

 above), of the increased value of lands caused by marling, that " if 

 not already reached, the result will soon be reached, of new value 

 to the amount of millions of dollars having been thus created. " 

 Because of the then deficiency of statistical and documentary 

 evidence (since partially and imperfectly supplied), he was not 

 then aware that this prediction had already been more than fulfilled. 



* Extract from "Report to the State Board of Agriculture, on the most 

 important improvements of agriculture in lower Virginia, and the most 

 important defects yet remaining." Published by order of the General 

 Assembly, as a state document, and also in Farmers' Register, p. 257, 

 vol. x. 



