SMALL HOLDINGS 127 



it to slake naturally, or covered it with soil 

 and subsequently spread it. If allowed to 

 remain exposed too long lime absorbs carbonic 

 acid, and loses its caustic properties, being 

 little better than ground limestone or 

 chalk. 



The best system of liming land is to broad- 

 cast it in a ground condition when it is 

 extremely fine. In this state 10 cwt. per acre 

 used in alternate years, or in some cases 

 yearly, will be found more beneficial than much 

 larger quantities supplied at greater intervals. 

 Ground lime has the advantage over slaked 

 lime or chalk, in that it is much less costly to 

 buy, to cart, and to distribute, while, owing to 

 the fact that it is in a powdered condition, 

 it does not cake. Ground lime should be the 

 produce of chalk or rich mountain limestone 

 and not of gray lime, which is quite unfit 

 for the land. Lime should not be used on 

 poor land which is unmanured, or it will 

 become poorer still. Acting as a base, lime 

 promotes the oxidation of the humus of the 

 soil by combining with the organic acids 

 v/hich are the result of decomposition, thus 

 increasing the formation of nitrates, and pro- 

 viding rich food for plants. It is partly for 

 this reason that alkaline manures such as 



