49 



pable of producing wheat at all, it was found to be at all times 

 after that period well adapted to the rearing^ of this crop." The 

 effect of wood ashes on soils, though less durable, is similar to 

 that of lime. Will not this accoOnt for the luxuriant growth of 

 wheat here formerly, and in those places where the wood has 

 been recently cleared off by burning, at this time ? 



The greatest improvements in Agriculture in Great Britain, 

 where plaister of Paris, as with us, is found nearly inoperative, 

 have been made during the last forty years by the use of Lime. 

 And there can be but little doubt that much of the soil in this 

 county can be economically improved by the same means. A 

 few directions therefore for using quick lime cannot fail of being 

 interesting : for this can be more easily obtained by the farmers 

 in this county, than any other calcareous earth, except in the 

 neighbourhood of soap manufactories, where leached ashes, 

 which contain much lime, can be had at a cheaper rate. The fol- 

 lowing directions for using quick lime are extracted from some 

 of the best English writers on this subject : 



From thirty to three hundred bushels arc usually applied to 

 an acre ; but on poor soils, and soils which abound with root:?, 

 peat and other insoluble vegetable matter, even sis hundred 

 may be used with advantage. Soils thus dressed will be render' 

 ed more fertile forever after. 



Quick lime should be reduced to powder by slacking it with 

 water, and spread dry, so that it may mix as intimately wilh the 

 soil as possible, at least one month before the seed is to be sown. 

 In this country, it being necessary to sow grain as early as pos- 

 sible in the spring, the lime should be spread the preceding 

 autumn. And as the ^eel of cattle are sometimes injured by it, 

 it must be suffered to lie on the surface of the ground till it be- 

 comes mild, lik6 chalk, which will take place in a few weekSp 

 before it is either ploughed or harrowed in. 



Quick lime applied to plants while growing, and of course to 

 vegetating seeds, invariably injures them. Quick lime isyures 

 all animal manures, and therefore should never be mixed with 

 common dung, or applied to llie soil at the same time. When 

 Jpnlied to low, boggv soil-', in su/Svient qnan^ities. i? wM destroy 



