Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 445 



on tlie ground recently plowed, and wliicli is now frozen bard, or, on 

 unplowed sod or corn gronnd while they are frozen during the win- 

 ter, and perhaps covered with snow ? The lime has to be drawn by 

 teams some ten miles, which can only be done during the leisure of 

 winter, and if it can be thrown directlj" on the land, witliout loss of 

 any of its properties, it will be a great convenience. 



" Tlie gronnd is part shelly stone, with but thin soil on it, and part 

 clay. A portion lays on a sidehill." 



Chair. — As a rule we do not discuss- anonymous letters, but as the 

 subject is one of much importance, and true modesty may have 

 induced the gentleman to withhold his name, perhaps some member 

 will give his experience on the winter application of lime. 



Mr. William Lawton. — Perliaps the subject is worthy our regard if 

 the writer is irregular in his approach. I do not know as much as 

 some al)out lime, but my experience is decidedly in favor of putting 

 it on in winter. It is a singular fact that cold water dissolves lime 

 better than warm. The best season for getting a solution of lime 

 into the soil is during the cold spring rains, and Avhen the winter 

 snows melt. It takes TOO parts of cold water to dissolve one of lime. 

 Hence we must have the lime at the surface at the time of the 

 greatest rainfall. It is better to spread it on a frozen surface, because 

 it will become dissolved before it sinks into the soil. 

 • 



Combing Wool. 



Mr. AV. M. Brown, Paris, Ontario county, Canada, writes : " Tliere 

 appears to be cpiite a disposition on the part of the Americans to 

 engage in the production of combing wool, as there has been an 

 unusual export demand for long avooI sheep west, into Michigan, 

 Indiana, and Illinois. This enterprise is an exhibition of the princi- 

 ple of political economy, and also the wisdom of a protective policy. 

 We sball be disappointed if the west in a short time is not producing 

 a supply of this class of wool equal to the present demand. But tlie 

 demand is destined to increase with the advance and extended 

 production of delaine goods, and it is an act of economy for the 

 farmers to anticipate this want and be ready to supply it. 

 Tiie growth of combing wool in England is more the result of tlie 

 high price of mutton than the price of wool, the production of wool 

 being a result of tlie great demand and paying prices for mutton 

 sheep. This is the reason why w^ool is cheap in England, the clip 

 being of secondary importance. The United Kingdom, England, 



