LIME. 



in ortlor to unJcrftand the gooilncrf of lime, it is re- loads of ^o biifliels : fucli a dreffing, when the fpace to be 



marked by the fame writer, that the lime from pure lime- improved is large, demands tlie employiin-iit of regular 



ftone is always of a bright white, when perfectly calcined teams to be kept continually at work. In fuch under- 



without a teni'e:icy to any colour. When it has any co- takings, it is idle to be nice about the feafon of applying 



lour it rr)ceods 'from the fand, or other uncalcareous matters the manure; convenience demands that the work Ihould 



in its compolition. There are, however, fomc forts of fand go on at all feafons, but in the coun'ics where lime is moll 



that are of fjch a pure whitenefs, as not to debafe the co- ufed, the common feafon is fumnier, and on fallows." 



lour <:f the lime in the fmalled degree ; but thefe are rare ; And there cannot be any doubt but that it is the bed 



and there are fome matters that alter the colour of the lime praftice to apply it either in the fpring, fummer, or early 



a s;o:)d ded, without deballng its quality in any conlider- 

 able degree ; but thefe are lliU more rare than the former. 

 H-TCe it follows, that the bed lime for the piirpofe of the 

 farmer, is that which is lighted, fofteft to the touch, and 

 whiteft. Softr.efs to the touch is not, however, it is con- 

 ceived, an unequivocal proof of the purity ct the hme. 

 He has feen one kind of lime that contained a large propor- 

 tion of an uncalcareous in.palpable powder, that was as foft 

 to the touch as the piir'-(l lime ; but this was a fingular 

 exception to the rule that is very general. The more they 

 deviate from eiliier of thefe tefts of J^irity, the worfe ihey 

 are for the purpof -s of agriculture. But if the limc-llone 

 lofes much of its weight in calcination, and the lime-fliells 

 are extremely hght ; if the (hells require a very large pro- 



part of the autumn, and in a (late as little moill as poffible, 

 as, under fuch circumdances, it may not only be laid on 

 with the grcated convenience, but be fpread out in the mod 

 even and regular manner, which is a point ot coniiderable 

 importance in this luifbaiidry, and be laid on with lefs in- 

 jury from treading the land, than could otherwife be the 

 cafe. 



The above writer alfo flates, that " liming is, in many 

 didrids, connefted with paring and burning, and it is one 

 of the bell methods of applying this manure. From a peck 

 to a buOiel, according to its plenty, is added to, and mixed 

 with, every heap of allies, and they are then fpread together. 

 The effeft gener?t'y is coniiderable, but proportioned to the 

 foil. The greated efleft of this manure is upon land that 



portion of water to flake them fully ; if it is long before has been long in a date of nature ; and particularly upon all 



they begin to fall j if the lime-done is not apt to run (or peat foils, moors, mountains, and bogs. But upon all on 



be vitriGed) in the operation of burning ; if it falls entirely which it is known to have elfedt, it is well applied in the 



when it gets a fufficient quantity of water, after it has been aflies of paring and burning." 

 properly calcined ; if it fwells very much in flaking, and if But though the application of this fubdance properly 



the li 

 may 



ime is light, fine to the touch, and of a pure white, it belongs to (he occi piers of lands, it is neceffary that the 



be concluded that it is extremely good, and may be proprietors tf them lliould render it as cafy and convenient 



ufed in preference to any other lime that is inferior to it in as polTible, " eitder by fcarching for raw materials, opening 



any of thefe refpefts. Thefe rules are perfefitly fufficient quarries, and eretliiig kilns upon the edates under their 



to decide as "o the comparative value of any two kinds of care, or by bringing, from a didancc, materials, fuel, or 



lime that -.iiiy be onpo-fed to one another, and may be relied lime itfelf, at the lead poUible expence, through the means 



upo'i as fiiific-.ently accurate for the ordinary purpofes of the of improved roads, rail-ways, or water-carriage." And 



Til-re are o'lier methods by which the qualities or good- 

 nefs of lime may be afcertdined with exaclneis, but which 

 are bed p.-ri'o' med by an '.x pert cheniid. 



Proper S'jfon for ii/Ing Lime. — J n refpedl to the mod 

 proper time of uling lime to lands, there feems fome dider- 

 ence of opinion amon^^ farmers, as well as to the date in 

 which it Ihould be ufed ; fone fuppofin.; the bed time to 

 lay it on dry foils intended for turnips, is in autumn, while 

 others thi^ik the beginning of f immer, as May and June, 

 belter. S )me, like'vife, contend tht it (hould be applied 

 before it has been flaked ; while others think it -may be 

 employed when even in a date of confiderable moillure. 

 The writer of the Farmer's Calendar, after putting the 

 quedion, whether lime burnt in January fliould be then ufed 

 or kept till fpring, obferves, that " there are two motives 

 for burning done or chalk ; one is, for the lake of reducing 

 the material to powder, for accuracy in fpreading ; the 



that the fame principle holds good " with rcfpedt to hiarles, 

 and other grofs fubilances, to be ufed in their raw Hate ; 

 as the advantages arifing therefrom will always, eventually, 

 find their way into the rent-roll." 



Dodlor Anderfon thinks it may be necell'ary to obfervej 

 that when farmers employ a great deal of lime, it fome- 

 times happens that their horfes' feet are burnt by it ; which 

 is extremely troublefome, and fometimes proves even fatal 

 to the poor animals : a method of preventing or remedying 

 that inconvenience will, therefore, be of ufe. The bell 

 method of preventing any inconvenience of this fort is to 

 fpread the lime, when in its powdery date, upon the field as 

 evenly as polTible, and to allow it to lie in that date fome 

 time before you begin to plough it. If the lime has been 

 in fine powder, it will have become perfedlly effete in a 

 week or fo ; after which time it will be as little corrofive as 

 any kind of common earth, lo that the horfes may work 

 among it with perfeft fafety. But if it has been ludercd 



other is. for the application of a caullic body dedrudtive of to run into clods before it was fpread, thefe, if not broken 



living vegetables. For the former purpofe, the lime had fmall, will be longer in abforbing their air, and, of confc- 



better be kept ; for the latter, it is ufiially laid on In fuch quence, will remain longer in an acrid (late, fo that the 



large quantities, that it is not very material at what feafon ploughing may, in that cafe, be deferred for a week longer, 



it is fpread, provided it be done frelh from the kiln. It nor will it be even then fo perfectly fafe as the other. But 



will have a greater effedl in fpring and fummer, but the if it becgimes necedary at any time to plough in the lime 



fuperiority is not fuch as to induce delay from a time in immediately after it is fpread, take care, fays he, to do it 



which the teams have little to perform, to a ieafon in which 

 there is much work for them." And he further dates, 

 that " the grand effeft of this manure is on uncultivated 

 wade land. On moors, mountains, bog, and boggy bottoms, 

 the effeft is very great, but the quantity apphed is con- 

 fiderable. The more the better. • In Derbylhire, as far as 

 600 buffaels an acre have been ufed; or 20 one horfe cart 



13 



only when the foil is perfectly dryj and in leading your 

 horfes to the plough, take care to prevent them from g#ing 

 through any wet place, fo as to wet their hoofs or ankles ; 

 for lime adts not at all upon any dry fubdance ; but when 

 it is in its acrid caudie date, it will corrode the hair and 

 flefh in a moment, if it has accefs to water. As foon as the 

 horfes are unyoked, keep their feet dry till you have got 



them 



