368 Transactions of the American Institute. 



an application of lime for many years, is greatly benefited thereby; 

 and its elTects are so rapid and striking, that many farmers have 

 been induced to continue its application until the fertility of their 

 soil was almost — nay, in fact, completely — exhausted. A farmer 

 ■who uses lime in considerable quantities, without recruiting the 

 exhausted energies of his land with a proportionate supply of 

 manure, may make a decent living, possibly, for some years; but 

 if he himself should escape the consequences of such scourging hus- 

 bandrj', those who succeed him can scarcely hope to do so, as there 

 is much forcible truth in the old couplet: 



" He who limes without manure, 

 "Will leave his farm and family poor." 



One special recommendatory feature to the use of lime in agri- 

 culture is its portability — this being more particularly the case 

 when the situation permits of its being dra^Ti from the kiln in a state 

 of quicklime, or, more familiarly, lime-shells. It can be carried 

 with comparative ease to great elevations, where the conveyance 

 of farm-yard manure, in any appreciable quantity, would be simply 

 impracticable; and, under its sweetening influence, heath, moss and 

 bent-grass soon disappear, and become an active and alnmdant 

 source of nourishment to the cultivated grasses or other crops, if 

 the situation permits of their cultivation. On reclaimed moorland, 

 powdery lime acts much more quickly in reducing the coarse vege- 

 table matters to a state by which the after-crops can be benefited, 

 than when used after it has become mild. In Scotland Ave have 

 seen land broken up, and, by the application of lime alone, grow 

 the cultivated grasses in extraordinary luxuriance, "where previously 

 nothing was to be seen but an unbroken waste of heather, wonder- 

 fully beautiful, certainly, in autumn, when in full flower; but prac- 

 tically valueless, and the abode of the mountain bare, roe-deer, fox, 

 and other animals. This pailicular piece of mountain was broken 

 up in 1850, and torn to pieces, by repeated plowings, as minutely 

 as the state of the soil Avould admit, and then left rough for the 

 ameliorating influence of the frosts of winter. The following spring 

 operations were resumed as soon as the weather would permit; 

 and, after another plowing and the removal of stones and other 

 incumbrances to successful tillage, lime was liberally applied and 

 worked in, and the land left for a short time to rest, previous to 

 its being sown with grass-seeds. This, owing to the extent of the 

 numerous operations that had to be carried out, could not be accom- 

 plished until June; yet, notwithstanding the comparative lateness 



