BY MINERAL MANURES. 85 



render the surface more uniform. The lime is spread 

 as equally as possible over the field, and then the ground; 

 is well harrowed in different directions, in order to in- 

 corporate 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 particularly beneficial 

 to that crop ; and answers extremely well when applied 

 in that manner. The practice of applying it to Indian 

 corn as above related, is, however, chiefly followed ; and 

 the application 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 6. '' What is the ordinary cost per acre of 

 liming, and the relative profits, in increased products of 

 a period of years V 



Answer. Quicklime, at the kilns, usually costs twelve 

 and a half cents a bushel. The farmers generally haul 

 it with their own teams ; and the additional expense de- 

 pends, of course, materially upon the distance. It is fre- 

 quently hauled by them a distance of eight, ten, and even 

 twelve miles. The average, perhaps, is about five or 

 six miles. It is delivered to me by the lime-burners, (a 

 distance of near six miles,) at 18 cents a bushel. At 

 the rate of 40 bushels to the acre, the cost, at 18 cents, 

 would be $7,20 per acre. It is difficult to estimate, with 

 precision, the relative profits in increased products. But 

 I can safely say, from my own experience, on a small 

 farm of middling quality, that two dressings 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 under- 

 stood, however, that the system of ploughing only so 

 much ground as could be well manured was adopted at 

 the same time. I may also observe, generally, that the 

 farmers of this district, (who are shrewd economists,) are 

 so well convinced of the beneficial effects of Hming, that, 

 8 XV. 



