SCCt. III. THE COUNTY OF FIFE. 43 



and pervade the mould in this state, the nutri- 

 tive particles it carries along with it, are more 

 readily conveyed to the roots of the plants, 

 whilst they, for the same reason, can more easi- 

 ly spread themselves in every direction in quest 

 of nourishment. 



To make lime produce its effect most com-r 

 pletely, much attention is. necessary as to the 

 mode of applying it. In all cases, it ought 

 to be spread on the ground in as perfect a 

 state of pulverization as possible. The more 

 uniformly, and the more intimately it is mixed 

 with the soil, the greater will its effect be. It 

 frequently happens that the land is not ready to 

 receive the lime, at the time when most conve- 

 nient for the farmer to bring it home. . In that 

 case it is sometimes injudiciously left to be slack- 

 ed by the air and the rain ; in consequence of 

 which it not infrequently happens, that when it 

 comes to be carted to the field, it is found to be 

 concreted into large lumps, or so drenched with 

 water, that it can neither be equally spread, nor 

 made to cover the extent of ground intended. 

 To prevent this inconvenience, as well as loss, 

 the lime-shells, as soon as laid down, ought to 

 receive as much water as will slack them, and 

 then be either covered with turf or straw, or mix- 

 ed with a sufficient quantity of loose earth ; by 

 which means it will be kept in a powdery state, 

 and prevented from running into mortar, or ga- 

 thering into hard lumps. 



When lime is applied to ley ground, designed 

 for tillage, it ought not to be laid on immediate- 

 ly before ploughing, as in that case it will tum- 

 ble into the bottom of the furrow, and be total - 

 Hh 3 



