372 Transactions of the American Institute. 



mission, to repeat the corn crop, which, although it may make a good 

 many pounds per acre for that particular season, is mostly in the 

 end injurious to the laud and a loss to the farmer. A much better 

 plan, and one quite consistent with the most stringent rules of good 

 husbandry, is to lime on the severance of the first corn crop, work 

 well in, and the following season drill and put in turnips, which 

 will, all other contingencies being favorable, be a first nvte crop; 

 the rich mold formed by the action of the lime on the fibrous mass 

 of the half-decayed turf being amply sufficient to grow a full crop. 

 On limestone land, however, and limestone gravels, attempting to 

 gi'ow turnips in this way is highly dangerous, and almost certain to 

 result in total failure; and we would on no account have it sup- 

 posed that we recommend the use of lune on such soils for the 

 growth of green crops, either in the mode here described or in any 

 other way whatever. Experience and observation both teach that 

 on those soils there is already as much calcareous matter as can be 

 assimilated by the turnip plant, and consequently any further addi- 

 tion to the supply already possessed by the soil can only act as 

 poisons do in the animal system — either by destrojang vitality 

 altogether, or injuring it so seriously as to render the plant inca- 

 pable of maturing a healthy and consequently profitable crop. 



In liming land, previous to laying it down to grass, if it has not 

 been done for the green crop, the proper time for doing so, and, iu 

 fact, the only time in which it can be done, is obviously the winter 

 and spring, according as the gi*een crop is removed, and also 

 according as the weather afibrds favorable opportunity. If there 

 is much to ])e done, the weather must be carefully studied, and no 

 opportunity lost, as poaching the land at this late period of the 

 season is especially injurious, more particulary as it has no chance 

 of recovering itself from the effects of such injury between that 

 and seed time. Frosty weather of some continuance afibrds a cap- 

 ital opportunity for winter liming — the hard roads materially less- 

 ening the labor on the horses, and the carts passing over the land 

 without iu the slightest degree injuring it. 



From our own experience, we believe that there is no mode of 

 applying lime to the land so perceptible for good, and so lasting iu 

 its (?ffects, as just previous to its being laid down. What between 

 harrowing, grubbing and plowing, it gets so thoroughly incorpo- 

 rated with the surface of the soil, that its tendency to sink is, iu a 

 great measure, counteracted; and we have fomid that the nearer to 

 seed time it can be applied, the greater benefit does the crop derive 



