460 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ JuEe 9, 1887. 
action of ameliorated gas lime, there is no question of its forming 
or liberating plant food—fertilising properties of no mean order, 
consequently it is well worthy the attention of cultivators if it 
were only for the lime itself. That, however, is insufficient to 
account for its fertilising effects, especially to grass, and to Legumes, 
notably Clover, and all plants with knobs or galls on the roots, also 
to Turnips and Potatoes. In its ameliorated state it is a mixture 
of lime and gypsum, and as such is more advantageously used on 
light soil than simple lime, the latter being most suitable for heavy 
land, though success attends its application to heavy soils ; indeed 
there is no soil to which this form of lime may not be applied with 
good results. In action it is much more efficacious than simple 
lime, on account of the direct nourishment afforded by the gypsum 
(sulphate of lime), and indirect, by the lime decomposing substances 
which afford a supply of potash and soda, besides decomposing 
animal and vegetable matter, thereby supplying ammonia, carbonic 
acid, &c., independently of the lime itself, an element of the food 
of plants. Gas lime is also useful in preventing the escape of 
ammonia from the soil through its sulphuric acid, a property it (in 
the sulphate state) possesses in proportion to the moisture, but 
most unaccountably is not so beneficial (as before stated) applied to 
heavy as to light or sandy soils, and plants containing but a small 
proportion of sulphate of lime derive greater benefit from it than 
those containing much more. This is a well-known property of many 
substances, and which cannot be satisfactorily accounted for, and 
shows, if it were necessary, the importance of comparative 
experiments. 
The value of gas lime, after it becomes by long exposure to the 
action of the air and water converted into a mere mixture of 
gypsum and lime, is not unimportant, being in fact equivalent to a 
dressing of gypsum and of lime, therefore of enduring benefit. In 
that state we lose all or most of its ammonia, unless we make it 
when fresh into a compost by mixing with soil, and even then there 
is waste, unless there are substances in the compost on which 
ammonia can form, otherwise it will combine with carbonic acid 
and escape. In using gas lime for mixing with compost resulting 
of road sidings, pond cleanings, ditch scourings, or other debris, the 
substances essential as bases for the formation of nitrates will be 
present, as also in the accumulated debris or rubbish heaps of 
gardens ; but to make sure, some wood ashes, old mortar rubbish, 
which are obtainable about most places, should be mixed with the 
compost, or the rubbish sprinkled as the mixing proceeds with a 
little salt, kainit, or superphosphate, so as to form bases on which 
the ammonia can form as nitrates. A ton of gas lime to six of 
compost is ample, which turned over twice, so as to thoroughly 
incorporate the materials, will, at the end of six months, be an 
admirable dressing for grass, applying twenty-four to thirty-six 
loads per acre, equivalent to from three to five tons of gas lime, 
which is a suitable quantity. The best time to apply it to lawns or 
grass land is in February, whilst on arable land it may be used at 
any time prior to putting in the crops. In that way we get the 
full value of the gas lime as a fertiliser without any of its injurious 
effects. 
Anti-fungoid and Insecticidal Properties. — For this 
purpose the gas lime should be fresh. If applied to the surface 
and left there oxidation will take place rapidly, and the ammonia 
escapes. It should, therefore, be lightly harrowed or pointed in so 
as to retain the ammonia, or a portion of it, as well as that resulting 
of the conversion of the cyanogen, which takes place, provided 
there are substances in the soil containing bases for the formation 
of nitrates. As some time is required for oxidation to alter the 
poisonous properties of the cyanogen, the gas lime must be applied 
on bare ground or fallow in anticipation of the crop. On ground 
intended for spring sowing or planting it should be applied in 
autumn—on stubbles after ploughing, or garden plots after digging, 
lightly harrowing or pointing in, whilst for autumn sown or planted 
crops it should be applied two or three months previously, and for 
Turnips, &c., it may be applied up to February or early March, and 
this will allow time for its oxidation, and conversion of the 
injurious matter into assimilable food for the crops, whilst fungoid 
and insect pests in the soil have been destroyed, and there are the 
remains of the gas lime, equal in value to a dressing of gypsum and 
lime, for the benefit of current and succeeding croj s. 
In the whole of my experience with varied substances I have 
not found any equal to gas lime in effectiveness against fungoid and 
insect pests harbouring in the soil. Against grubs, club, maggot at 
the roots of Brassicas, finger-and-toe in Turnips, slugs, and pre¬ 
datory vermin of all kinds, there is no agent so effective for 
destruction as gas lime. Year after year whole fields of Turnips 
succumb to finger-and-toe, which could have been prevented by a 
dressing of gas lime, Clover is galled at the roots, and crops of all 
kinds are prejudiced by fungoid and insect pests in the soil, and 
many which exist on the plants find their refuge in the soil, which I 
are mitigated in the severity of their attacks on the crops by a 
dressing of gas lime. Never were Turnips infested by finger-and- 
toe, Brassicas with club or grub, Onions with maggot, Clover with 
galls, or cereals withered by grubs, to say nothing of cankers 
and blights without end allowed to increase on land to which a 
dressing of gas lime has been applied. 
As an anti-fungoid and insecticidal agent gas lime is invaluable. 
In cleansing the land of pests preying upon its crops it is un¬ 
equalled (so far as I know) in efficacy and cheapness. For land 
having a slight tendency to produce in its crops any of those 
maladies attributed to fungoid or insect pests, a light dressing of 
gas lime will suffice, or three tons per acre, which is equivalent to 
42 lbs. per rod (30j square yards). That is a minimum quantity 
to be of value, even on clay soils, which require a less quantity 
than light or sandy soils. Clays contain more abundant bases for 
the formation of nitrates, are more retentive and less affected by 
atmospheric influences than sandy soils, so that a less quantity 
suffices. In case of light soils the quantity should be proportion¬ 
ately increased ; indeed the dressings should be in proportion to 
the texture of the soil. If for a heavy soil, three tons are employed 
per acre, it may be increased to three and a half tons at the dividing 
line of a clay from sandy loam, and at the extreme the other way, 
or a sandy loam four tons, which gives a difference of a ton between 
a very heavy and a very light soil, or of 14 lbs. per rod. At those 
rates it may be given every third or fourth year, according to the 
rotation, with very beneficial results as regards the bulk of the 
produce and the freedom of the crops from disease. 
When, on the other hand, the land is foul, recourse must be had 
to more drastic measures— i.e., increase the quantity of the gas 
lime. Five tons for heavy, and six for light soil per acre, may be 
taken as a sufficient quantity to rid land of pests injurious to its 
crops. That quantity will effectually save the Turnip crop from 
finger-and-toe. I saw whole fields of Turnips in 1886 a putrid 
mass, whilst gas lime could be had for next to nothing at the works 
within two miles. The cultivators attributed the disaster to the 
peculiar season, but smiled and shrugged their shoulders in 
contempt at the mention of gas lime. In some cases whole fields 
succumbed, and many others had their crops much depreciated in 
value by a very severe attack of Brassica aphides. Had those fields 
been given a dressing of gas lime on the stubble fallow in February 
or early March at the rate of five or six tons to the acre, and 
lightly harrowed in, I am certain the “ peculiar ” weather would 
have had no effect in inducing finger-and-toe, nor would the aphides 
have appeared—to destroy the crop in the first case, or reduce its 
bulk by half in the other. Seventy pounds per rod effectually 
cleanses the soil of gardens, but owing to the follow-on system of 
cropping that prevails, it is difficult to apply it so as to prove 
efficacious without prejudice to the succeeding crops, and not only 
that, but there are fruit trees, &c., near the vegetable quarters, to 
which the gas lime incautiously used would prove injurious, if not 
fatal. In mixing gas lime with compost it must be kept away from 
the roots of trees, or it will kill them, and it is highly poisonous 
to Box edgings, &c. In its fresh state it must be used upon bare 
ground or fallow, and two or three months in anticipation of the 
crop. This is repeated to prevent disaster by its injudicious use. 
Perhaps the best time to apply gas lime to gardens is as soon as the 
soil is cleared of its crops, disposing it evenly on the surface, and 
pointing in lightly, or scratching the surface over well with a fork. 
After it has lain for a few weeks, six to eight, it may be dug in 
and the ground cropped. Gas lime, however, is best applied and 
kept near the surface, therefore it should be applied when practi¬ 
cable, as advised, on bare ground that will not be required cropped 
of two or three months. 
Some have a decided objection to gas lime on account of its 
smell. This is remarkable, when we compare it with the odour of 
diseased or decayed vegetable crops. To correct the offensiveness, 
the gas lime may be mixed with sufficient dry earth as will render 
it dry enough to be handled, and in that state it is readily applied 
to land, and more evenly than used in its raw state. Ashes may be 
used when the dressing is for heavy soil, or preferably charcoal, or 
even the ashes resulting of the burning of a heap of twitch, whilst 
for light soils loam would be most desirable. In this state its value 
as a dressing is considerably enhanced. 
The only other agent comparable to gas lime is fire or charring. 
It is the remedy of the scientists, albeit one long pursued by horti¬ 
culturists, and of which a notable instance of efficacy in freeing 
the soil of those pests, fungoid or nematoid, causing the Cucumber 
disease, has been recently recorded by Mr. Pettigrew in the Journal 
of Ho ticullure. For many years (I may say the practice is im¬ 
memorial) gardeners have been in the practice of roasting cowdung, 
peat, turfy loam, &c., for the destruction of larvae, &c, and with 
singular benefit to the plants in health and freedom of growth. It 
is a question of: heating so as to kill obnoxious vegetable and 
