72 
No. i4G. 
rUMERICAN AGrRICULTURIST. 
lying to different parts of the plant the food gath¬ 
ered by the leaves. The roots also serve as sup¬ 
ports to hold the plant in its place. 
2. The roots take in whatever liquids they are 
brought in contact with. They are increased in 
size and number by the direct application to them 
of food or stimulants (manures). They are also 
injured by coming in contact with such soluble 
poisonous materials as they can absorb. 
3. The contact, of air is necessary to destroy, 
(oxidise) certain poisonous mineral salts found in 
all soils—particularly the proto-salts of iron. 
Now then, suppose we have a soil from which 
air has been shut out, by its compactness, or by 
the constant presence of water or moistute in its 
pores. To break up and pulverize such a soil 
deeply, is to invite the growth of the roots down¬ 
ward below the usual access of air. These deeper 
penetrating roots then absorb some of the poison¬ 
ous (unoxidized) mineral compounds. The con¬ 
sequence is, the structure, not only of the roots, 
but of the whole plant, is injured. On such a soil 
it very often happens that shallow plowing, which 
only disturbs the thin surface portion immediately 
in contact with the air, will be preferable for the 
time being, to going down deeply at once. The 
true way is to go only half an inch to an inch 
deeper every year, and bring up a little of the 
under soil to contact with air, to be fitted by it 
for use, but not to bring up enough to injure the 
growing crops. Every one must have observed 
that the soil thrown out of a deep well will at 
first grow nothing; and yet after contact with air 
sr a year or two, or more, it becomes quite equal 
3 the old surface soil. 
Let us now look at ano'fher class of soils—those 
which are open, porous, and by reason of good na¬ 
tural under-drainage are a part of the year free 
from standing water to the depth of a foot or 
more. In this case the air will have penetrated 
deeply, and destroyed poisonous mineral com¬ 
pounds. Deep plowing will not loosen a mass of 
dangerous material, but on the contrary will in¬ 
vite down the roots of plants where they will find 
a supply of moisture even when the surface is 
parched with drouth. To stir such soils only at 
the surface, would tend to a shallow growth of 
roots, and when the surface dries up, the plant 
fails to get moisture enough to supply the 
waste of water by evaporation from the leaves. 
In soils of this character, it is manifestly desirable, 
nay, important, to plow deeply. 
It is owing to such diversity of condition in 
aoils, that practical men, reasoning only from 
their own experience, have been let to exactly 
opposite views in regard to deep and shallow 
plowing. Literally, what is one man's meat, is 
another’s poison And this remark has a wider 
application than to the mere question of plowing. 
The manures appropriate to particular soils, differ 
as widely as does the treatment required. Quacks 
In medicine recommend one kind of pills as a cure 
for all kinds of disease. Quacks in agriculture, in 
like manner prescribe a particular treatment or 
manure as just the thing for all soils and crops. If 
ingenious, they can each make out plausible argu¬ 
ments to support their pretensions. 
In regard to plowing deeply, the true theory is 
to provide a deep thorough drainage for all soils 
not naturally dry to a considerable depth from 
the surface; and then, by degrees, break up the 
subsoil, until a deep bed of dry, warm, air-exposed 
soil is secured. When this is done, plants will 
send down and spread widely a mass of roots 
that will support a corresponding growth of vege¬ 
tation above the surface, and as before remarked, 
our crops will be independent of the mere surface 
effects of drouths or rains. 
The ‘‘Improved King Philip Corn.” 
Respecting this variety, which was noticed last 
inonth, and which we are distributing, Mr. Car¬ 
penter, from whom we obtained it, sends the fol¬ 
lowing note : “ The corn you had of me, a part of 
last summer’s crop, was planted on the 3d of 
June, and harvested about the middle of Septem¬ 
ber. In ordinary seasons it ripens in about 100 
days. I planted on about four acres of sward 
ground, on which, before planting, I sowed 500 
lbs. guano broadcast (125 lbs. per acre), and har¬ 
rowed it in well. The corn was planted three 
feet apart each way. My crop is estimated at 
about 400 bushels shelled corn, or 100 bushels 
shelled corn to the acre. It has a strong grow¬ 
ing stalk, and makes a large quantity of fodder. 
By actual experiments I find it to produce one 
third more shelled corn to the acre, than the old 
King Philip.” 
About Liming Land. 
Much of the counsel given by theoretical ad¬ 
visers in regard to applying lime to land is 
based upon a wrong hypothesis. The plant wants 
lime, say they, to help make up its constituent 
elements. They point you to the ashes of plants 
to show that lime is found there (as an accidental 
or incidental impurity, we say), and therefore they 
teach that you must apply lime to the soil. With¬ 
out stopping to discuss this question in full, we 
will remark first, that with considerable experi¬ 
ence in liming land, our best results from its ap¬ 
plication have been on a soil perfectly saturated, 
so to speak, with lime. Its fine particles were in 
part disintegrated (or pulverized) lime stone ; the 
water flowing through it, was lime water; and 
the rocks and stones intermingled with the soil, 
were nearly pure lime stones (carbonate of lime). 
In this case the applied burned lime could not 
have been needed to supply lime to the plants, for, 
—the theory of the condition of the lime naturally in 
the soil to the contrary notwithstanding—we con¬ 
fidently assert that the lime water (or soluble lime 
in the water) would furnish an infinite abundance 
for all the wants of the plant itself. Second. We 
have analyzed many soils from various localities, 
and studied the analyses of hundreds of others, 
and we never yet knew of an otherwise good soil, 
which did not show enough lime in its composi¬ 
tion, to supply the (supposed) needed quantity of 
lime for any crop. (We will add here, that for 
good and sufficient reasons, reasons as yet un¬ 
answered, we hold as unsubstantiated theory, the 
present scientific teachings that a certain definite 
quantity of particular mineral elements are es¬ 
sential to the perfect growth of plants ] 
What is the use of lime applied to a soil then 1 
We answer, lime acts only secondarily, as a pro¬ 
motion of certain changes in the elements of the 
soil. When lime is burned, its carbonic acid is 
expelled, and it is then a caustic alkali, in a finely 
divided condition for being intimately mixed with 
the soil. It is then eager (has a strong affirnity) 
to unite with other elements, especially with the 
acid or sour elements in the soil. Applied to 
soils in this caustic condition, its action is three¬ 
fold. 
First —Most soils contain more or less of vege¬ 
table acids. They are to some degree sour. The 
caustic or burned lime when added, neutralizes 
or destroys these acids, and sweetens, as we say, 
the soil, rendering it more congenial to growing 
plants. This effect is just as great upon many 
soils already filled with uncaustic lime-stone or 
lime unburned, as upon those having little or 
go lime. 
Second —Caustic lime dissolves a species ,of as¬ 
phaltic coating formed upon vegetable matter in 
soils, and exposes the inner texture to the action 
of air which decomposes it and prepares it to en¬ 
ter into the roots of plants as nourishment. 
Third —Vegetable matters, when decaying or 
decomposing, yield a certain amount of com¬ 
pound substances, among which is carbonic acid, 
which unites readily with such alkalies as 
caustic lime, potash, etc. Now, it is a law of 
chemistry that a compound will be more readily 
produced, when there is present another sub¬ 
stance for which the new compound has an af¬ 
finity. Therefore, the bare presence of caustic 
lime in a soil hastens the decomposition of the 
vegetable matters, and they more readily yield 
their elements to nourish growing plants. 
From the above considerations we may de¬ 
rive a few simple rules for the application of 
lime, premising the remark, that while close ob¬ 
servation and thought will assist in determining 
this matter, yet the multitude can only judge 
by trial when lime is useful and when not so 
SUGGESTIVE RULES FOR APPLYING LIME. 
1. It is desirable that lime should be as nearly caustic 
(recently burned) as possible. The effect of burning is 
merely to drive off its combined carbonic acid, and the 
longer the lime is exposed after burning, the greater is the 
amount of carbonic acid returned to it by the air. 
2. Lime should be finely divided (water slaked), that it 
may be mingled as thoroughly as possible with the soil. 
3. Lime acts comparatively the most beneficially upon 
such crops as are most sensitive to vegetable acids or 
sour substances in soils. An example of this is found in 
potatoes, which are usually benefitted by lime. 
4. Wet, cold lands are most subject to be impregnated 
with sour substances, and undecomposed vegetable mat¬ 
ter; hence, wet soils are most likely to be benefitted by 
an application of lime. 
5. Clays, and compact soils generally, admit air less 
freely than light porous soils, and the former therefore con¬ 
tain larger proportions of undecomposed vegetable matter. 
Lime benefits these by assisting to decompose such 
substances, and fit them for plant nourishment. 
6 The great majority of even light soils contain some 
undecayed matter, and even on the most sandy ones a 
small quantity of lime will be temporarily beneficial. 
7. On light soils, the effect of lime is most needed be¬ 
low the surface, where the air has not penetrated freely. 
On heavy or wet soils it is needed near the surface also 
8. It is usually bestlo apply the lime at the time of or just 
before putting in crops, that they may get the full benefit 
of its action, which begins immediately. 
9 On light, warm soils, too much lime will decompose 
the vegetable matter faster than needed, and there will be 
a w aste. Continued free application of lime will decom¬ 
pose all the vegetable matter in such sods, and leave them 
comparatively barren. Such soils are said to be “lime- 
sick.” 
10. An annual application of lime is better than a less 
frequent supply of a larger quantity, since in the former 
case its action is more continuous upon the successive 
crops. 
11. On many light warm soils, where the vegetable mat¬ 
ter is decomposed by air and sun, lime will be injurious 
rather than beneficial. 
12. The heavier and wetter the soil, the greater will be 
the quantity of lime which may be useful A yearly ap¬ 
plication of lime may vary from 4 to 30 bushels per acre, 
just according to the c ondition of the soil. 
13. Lime may be tried with good prospect of utility 
upon sour muck land—swamps and wet prairie lands are 
of this character. 
14. Lime may be sown broadcast on the surface, as a 
top-dressing; or it may be added to the hill. Uusually 
the best method is to sow it upon the surface before plant 
ing or seeding, and then harrow it in well. 
15. Lime, and potash (which abounds in unleached wood 
ashes) are both caustic alkalies, and act very similar 
ly. The potash is superior to lime from the fact that rt 
is more soluble, and it therefore becomes more uniformly 
diffused through the soil. Lime is, however, generally to 
be chosen on account of its comparative cheapness. 
-■» . -« »««—-* »- 
“ It is said ” that the woman who undertook to scour 
the woods has given it up in consequence of the high 
price of soap. She is HOW skimming t|)e spas, 
