86 IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL 



costly as its application seems to be, they are unanimous 

 in sparing no effort to procure it. Lime has been found 

 peculiarly favorable to the growth of pasture, when the 

 farm is otherwise well managed ; and as our farmers are 

 mostly in the practice of feeding cattle, they resort to 

 hming as an indispensable auxiliary to successful grazing. 



Query 7. " /s lime applied ivith yard manures , or 

 earthy composts^ and with what results ?" 



Answer. I have already intimated that vegetable mat- 

 ters, and especially yard manures, are highly important 

 in conjunction with lime. Both are valuable even w^hen 

 used separately ; but w-hen combined, the effect is most 

 complete. If to this be added the great secret of good 

 farming, — viz., to plough only so much ground as can be 

 well manured, — the state of agriculture may be considered 

 nearly perfect. 



Lime is in some instances added to earthy composts, 

 preparatory to distribution in the fields ; but it is doubtful 

 whether the extra labor of this method is compensated by 

 any peculiar advantages. It is not generally practised. 



Query 8. " /s powdered limestone {carbonate of lime) 

 applied to soils ; and, if so, does it induce fertility other- 

 wise than by mechanically ameliorating their texture ?^^ 



Answer. No instance of powdered limestone being 

 applied to soils has come under my notice. I can, there- 

 fore, form but a very imperfect opinion of its utility. If 

 it were even as beneficial as quicklime, (which I doubt,) 

 I apprehend it could not be procured and applied with 

 less cost and labor. 



Query 9. '•'• On ichat soils, if any, in your neighbor- 

 hood, is lime found to be inoperative as a fertilizing ap- 

 plication ; and the cause of its failure ?" 



Answer. There is no soil in this district deemed worthy 

 of cultivation, on which lime is wholly inoperative as a 

 fertilizer. On some sterile, slaty ridges, and on magne- 

 sian rocks, it has indeed but a slight effect ; and even 

 the benefits of barn-yard 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 in the con- 



