144 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



mosphere, then their constituents will be more readily prepared 

 for the leaves and the roots of the growing plants. 



Second. Some of our manures have the property of absorbing 

 gases from the air, some of which are very important to our green 

 crops, such as oxygen, carbonic acid and ammonia ; and this can 

 be most effectually done when these manures are lying upon the 

 surface. These gases when thus absorbed are washed down by 

 the rains with the fine particles of the manures into the ground 

 around the roots to be taken up by them. When they are not 

 thus washed down, they are slowly given off directly under or in 

 contact with the leaves of the plants, and are then taken into the 

 sap by the mouths of these leaves and become a part of the plants 

 themselves. 



Third. Most of our crops, such as grasses, grains, clover, 

 shrubs, 3'oung trees and vines, are very materially benefitted by 

 applying certain fertilizers to them after they are partially grown. 

 In such a state it is evident that the soil around them cannot be 

 stirred much, or very deeply, in covering the manures which you 

 need to apply to them, without injury to these crops. 



Let us first notice the surface application of some mineral fer- 

 tilizers to our fields and gardens. We will begin with lime. This 

 is found in great abundance in many sections of our State. The 

 principal benefits of the application of lime consists in decompos- 

 ing and preparing for the roots of the plant the humus, or the 

 organic matters, and the flinty particles of our soil. It contains 

 or absorbs from the atmosphere large quantities of carbonic acid, 

 44 pounds, out of every 100 pounds, of pure limestone. This it 

 supplies as the principal food to the growing plant. It will hasten 

 the ripening our cultivated crops ten to fourteen days. Its best 

 effects are seen when kept near the surface. It should scarcely 

 ever be mixed with our barnyard manures, in our compost heaps, 

 or as spread on the ground, as it speedily decomposes them, and 

 sends off" the nitrogenous compounds. When used in the form 

 of top-dressing, it should be spread on the ground some little time 

 after the barnyard and animal manures are applied to the land. 

 Under favorable circumstances our average crops, during a rota- 

 tion of four years do not usually carry off more than 250 pounds 

 of lime per acre. Yet this amount is indispensable. Still a larger 

 amount is needed to act directly upon the soil before its decom- 

 posed parts are taken up by plants. 



