270 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



June 6, 1871. 



Nathan C. Ely, Esq., in the chair; Mr. John W. Chambers, Secretary. 

 Gas Lime and Caustic Lime. 



Mr. F. C. Johnson, Oswego county, N. Y. — Is spent lime from the 

 gas factory valuable as a fertilizer? If so, what is it worth per 

 bushel, and how is it to be used ? 



The Chair — If it lays out of doors long enough to be washed it 

 may be of some little use, but it is dangerous to touch in connection 

 with agriculture. This has been discussed before, and that is the con- 

 clusion arrived at. 



Mr. Lyman — After it has been exposed to rains it is worth from 

 six to ten cents a bushel. I have just been buying some for applica- 

 tion to a dark peaty soil. It is by no means equal to caustic lime, but 

 it costs me only half as much. 



Mr. Fuller — I do not think it is worth having. I believe in caus- 

 tic lime. 



Mr. Lyman — There are places where caustic lime cannot be 

 obtained for less than twenty cents a bushel, while this gas lime may 

 be had for less than half that price. 



The Chair (to Mr. Fuller) — Perhaps you will define what you mean 

 by caustic lime ? 



Mr. Fuller — Caustic lime is that which is just slacked ; the other 

 is inert, and has little virtue. The proper line of inquiry is how farm- 

 ers may get oyster shells to their farms, and burn them, at a cost of 

 a few cents a bushel. 



Mr. Eeade spoke of having used lime to some extent, putting it 

 into the hills of corn, and asked if that was the proper way to use it. 



Mr. Fuller — You should put more vegetable matter in it. I do not 

 believe in lime as a fertilizer if applied when there is no vegetable 

 matter ; but if there was, then it would do good by decomposing the 

 vegetable. The Jersey farmers leave the soil for two or three years 

 until a little crop of weeds comes up, and then they apply the lime, 

 and say, " only see how much good the lime has done," whin it was 

 the presence of the weeds which were dissolved by the lime that 

 produced the effect. 



Dr. "Weaver — I doubt whether lime is of much use except in a 

 caustic state. 



Liquid Manukes. 



Mrs. S. S. N. Greeley, of Oswego, 1ST. Y., writes thus — " As a plant 

 stimulant in our little parsonage yard we have a barrel partly filled 



