342 
Lime in Virginia.—la£ge FLEECES. 
LIME IN VIRGiNIA. 
The use of northern stone lime for agricultural pur¬ 
poses, in this and other tide-water sections of Virgi¬ 
nia, has now become extensive, and would, I believe, 
speedily become much more so could fanners be as¬ 
sured as to the quality of the various limes brought 
to this market. The greater proportion of the lime 
used here is obtained from Schuylkill, Coopersville, 
and the different lime-works on the Hudson river. 
From several of the latter lima has been used on the 
estate under my care; and in 1844, about 80,000 
bushels were obtained from the lime-kilns of the 
Messrs. Tomkins, in Rockland co., N. Y. A prefer¬ 
ence was given to this, these gentlemen having polite¬ 
ly forwarded an extract from the report of the Geo¬ 
logical Survey of the State of New York, in which 
the analysis of their lime was stated to contain in 100 
parts 
of Silica and Alumina 7.25 
Carbonate of Lime 92.75 
100 parts 
The above analysis indicated lime of a very superior 
quality, and imparted confidence in the purchase and 
use of it. Mr. E. S. Cooper of Baltimore, an exten¬ 
sive lime manufacturer, when in this section of coun¬ 
try in the early part of this year, with the view of 
testing the quality and value of the lime furnished by 
him, as compared with that received from the Messrs. 
Tomkins, took with him a sample of their lime to 
Baltimore for analysis. A letter was subsequently re¬ 
ceived from Mr. Cooper, addressed to Robt. B. Bolling, 
Esq., proprietor of this estate, dated Baltimore, June 
2 d, 1845, from which the following is an extract: 
“ 1 now enclose and attach analysis of Coopersville, 
Schuylkill, and North River lime. You will at onc.e 
perceive that my lime is as cheap at 7\ cents per 
bushel, as the North Riveras at 6£. Mine contains 
44 parts, and the North River 37i parts of quick lime, 
or more than one sixth more.” 
The following analysis was made of the Messrs. 
Tomkins lime by Mr. Stuart: 
“ Quick lime, 37.3 
Water, 17.7 
Carbonic, Acid, Magnesia 
and Alumina 21.2 
Silica and Oxide of Iron 23.8 
100 parts. 
It lost 17 per cent, of weight during a calcination of 
half an hour, at a red heat. It contains a remarka¬ 
ble proportion of iron. You will please inform me if 
you wish to know the proportion of magnesia, alu¬ 
mina, and iron and silica. You will notice that I 
have devoted my attention to the lime. There may 
be but 5 per cent of magnesia, or it may exist in the 
proportion of 21 per cent. It contains precisely 37 
3 -10ths per cent, of pure lime.” 
In comparing the analysis of this lime, as stated 
in the Geological Survey of New York, and that 
made as above by Mr. Stuart, purporting to be the 
same lime, there is a considerable difference, and, to 
the farmer, a very important one; and to ascertain 
which is the correct one would be very desirable. In 
a private letter to the Messrs. Tomkins, I called their 
attention to this matter, but having heard nothing 
from them, I would respectfully solicit, through your 
paper, the desired information from any of your cor¬ 
respondents familiar with the various qualities of 
lime in use. It would be of importance not only to 
the manufacturers of lime themselves, but also to the 
purchasers, to have a correct analysis of their va¬ 
rious limes placed before the public, and I would 
suggest to farmers generally the propriety of purchas¬ 
ing from none, where a certified analysis was not 
produced. And, Mr. Editor, on your readers and 
subscribers in this section of the country you could 
scarcely confer a greater benefit, than by giving them 
this very desirable information through the pages of 
the Agriculturist. I am sure the editor of the South¬ 
ern Planter will gladly devote a portion of his pages 
to the same desirable object. 
In this section of country, agricultural improve¬ 
ment is much needed, ana rapid advances are in 
many instances being made ; and every means that 
can be made to bear upon, strengthen, and facilitate 
this good work, ought to have the hearty co-opera¬ 
tion of all. There is scarcely a subject of more 
importance, than that of ascertaining the various 
qualities of lime, brought to and needed in this beau¬ 
tiful agricultural country, destined at no remote day 
to be the garden-spot of Virginia, and probably ex¬ 
celled by none in the United States. Should you 
deem the subject of sufficient importance, please to 
give to it what aid you can. 
In justice to the Messrs. Tomkins, I ought to state 
that the application of their lime on this estate, so 
far as effects can yet be judged, promises to be satis¬ 
factory—certainly better than some lime received 
prior to obtaining supplies from their kiln, much of 
which was very indifferent. A. Nicol. 
Sandy Point, Charles County , Va., ) 
Sept. 9, 1845. 5 
LARGE "FLEECES. 
I notice some articles going the rounds under this 
head, which I am pleased to see; because, limited 
as the information is, I am gratified to know that our 
countrymen can produce from any of their sheep 
large fleeces. In your August number I gave you 
some account of the shearing of my flock by making 
various classes, comprising my whole flock, and then 
giving you the average on the whole; stating that 
the 207 sheep averaged more than five pounds per 
head. The exact average was five pounds and three 
quarters of an ounce, reckoning it on the whole. 
Now I did all this to answer your inquiries in your 
May No., which were pretty close and searching, 
just what they ought to be. I could take a very 
different method, and make up my average thus: 
With the weight of every fleece noted down at the time, 
I find I can select forty-two in the flock, and the 
average shearing is 6 lbs. and 4 oz. Or I can select 
fifty-seven, and the average is just 6 lbs. per head. 
If I stop there, it gives no true account of my whole 
flock. 
Now what I wish is, that your correspondents 
would answer each of the several inquiries in your 
May No., and give us the average on their whole 
flock ; and give us an account of the weight of the 
lightest, as well as the heaviest fleeces shorn. Then 
we should know how to make up a judgment in 
regard to the entire flock of the wool-grower. I 
hope yet to see such communications in youi paper. 
The Agriculturist has done more, 1 think, to bring to 
light facts in regard to pure blood Merino flocks in 
this country, than any other print whatever; and 
