56 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
2. In reference to the soil,—as sand, clay, lime, and vegetable mat¬ 
ter l 
3. As indicated by natural groivth of limber and plants ?” 
Answer. My residence nas always been in a primitive region, 
and my observations very much limited to agricultural processes in 
sods upon that tormation. The prevailing rock here rs gneiss,— 
with occasional beds, or veins, of hornblende, greenstone and scei- 
nite. About five miles to the north of us, is the great valley of tran¬ 
sition limestone, stretching from northeast to southwest; and im¬ 
mediately on the northern side of this valley, running parallel with 
it, is a broken ridge of hills, formed ol mica slate,—vvrth beds of ser¬ 
pentine rock ..nd hornblende, on the side next to the gneiss rock, on 
the southeast. Over the gneiss rock, and among the hornblende, 
the soil is generally a stiff loam ; and there, I think, the best effects 
are perceptible from a given quantity of lime. On the soil overlay¬ 
ing the schistose rock, the good effects of lime are sufficiently obvi¬ 
ous, under the management of skilful farmers ; but the benefits seem 
to be less permanent. On the serpentine rock the soil is extremely 
sterile,—and neither lime nor barnyard manure can be used with 
much advantage. In the limestone soil of the great valley, where 
one would suppose it was already redundant, lime is used with ad¬ 
vantage ; and much heavier dressings are put on, than in the adja¬ 
cent districts. I cannot furnish the rationale of this practice ; but 
I believe the fact is established, that more lime is required to pro¬ 
duce the same beneficial effect on soils resting on limestone rock, 
than upon those overlaying gneiss,—and perhaps some other primi¬ 
tive rocks. 
I have had no opportunity to witness the effect of lime upon se¬ 
condary, and strictly alluvial, formations ; but the above circum¬ 
stances has led me to suspect, that the same quantity of lime would 
not be so signiaily beneficial in secondary, as it is in certain primi- 
time formations. 
Lime, undoubtedly, has a good effect in soils which are sandy, — 
even where sand predominates ; but I believe its meliorating proper¬ 
ties are most conspicuous in a clay soil,—or rather in a stiff loam .— 
A good proportion of decomposed vegetable matter adds greatly to 
the beneficial effects of lime; and hence our farmers are desirous to 
mingle as much barnyard manure as possible with their lime dress¬ 
ings,—and to get ther fields into what is called a good sod, or turf, 
— full of grass roots. Then a dressing of lime has an admirable ef¬ 
fect.* The soils indicated by a natural growth of black oak, ( quer- 
cus tincloria) walnut, ( juglans nigra) and poplar, ( liriodendron )— 
and those in which such grasses as the poas and festucas best flou¬ 
rish, are generally most signally benefitted by the use of lime. In 
short, I may observe, that lime has been found more or less benefi¬ 
cial in evejy description of soil in this district. It is most so on hil¬ 
ly, or rolling lands, where clay predominates,—less permanently, so 
among the mica slate;—and least of all, on the magnesian rocks. 
The soil on these last is rarely worth cultivating. 
Query II. “ What quantity of lime applied’ to the acre, upon 
different soils, at a single dressing, and during a period of years ?” 
Answer. The quantity of lime, per acre, which can be used ad¬ 
vantageously, varies with the condition and original character of 
the soil. Highly improved land will bear a heavier dressing than 
poor land. On a soil of medium condition, the usual dressing is 40 
to 50 bushels per acre. A deep, rich soil, or limestone land in the 
great valley, will receive 70 to 80—(and 1 am told even 100,) bush¬ 
els to the acre, with advantage. On very poor land, 20 to 30 bush¬ 
els per acre, is deemed most advantageous to commence with. It 
is usually repeated every five or six years—i. e. every time the field 
comes in turn to be broken up with the plough ; and us the land im¬ 
proves, the quantity of lime is increased. The prevailing practice 
here, is to plough down the sod, or lay, in the fall or early in the 
spring,—harrow it once—and then spread the lime (previously slak¬ 
ed to a powder) preparatory to planting the field with Indian corn. 
Every field, in rotation, receives this kind of dressing; and as our 
farms are mostly divided into about half a dozen fields, the dressing 
of course comes once in six years, more or less according to the 
number of the fields. Some enterprising fanners, however, give 
* The yard manure is not usually mingled uilh die lime, when the latter i- 
lirst applied. The practice is, to 1 ime the Indian Corn ground prior to plant¬ 
ing that grain on the inverted sod,—and, lhe ensuing spring, to manure the 
same field lor a barley crop,—or, lo reserve the manure until the succeeding 
autumn, and apply it to the wheat crop. It is not well settled which of these 
is the belter practice. Each lias its advocates ; but it ia most usual to reserve 
tho manure for the wheat. 
their fields an intermediate dressing, on the sod, after they come into 
gras's, which I consider an excellent practice,—tending rapidly to 
improve the condition of the land. 
Query III. “ Is it applied in a caustic or an effete stale 1” 
Answer. It is usually obtained in a caustic state from the kiln,—« 
deposited in heaps in the field where it is to be spread, and water 
sufficient to slake it to a powder, is then thrown upon it. As soon 
as slaked, it is loaded into carts, and men with shovels distribute it 
as equally as possible over the ground. It is generally considered 
best to put it on the ground whilst it is fresh, or warm , as the phrase 
is; and it is certainly easier to spread it equally, while in a light 
pulverized state, than after it gets much wet with rains. I am in¬ 
clined to think, too, it is better for the land when applied fresh from 
the kiln. 
Query IV. “ To what crops is it most advantageously applied, and 
at what season ?” 
Answer. It is usually applied, as already intimated, to the crop 
of Indian corn, in the spring of the year—say the month of April. 
Occasionally it is applied preparatory to sowing wheat in autumn. 
When used as a top dressing, on the sod, it is generally applied in 
the fall—say November. The prevailing impression is, that it is 
most advantageously applied to the Indian corn crop ; and hence tue 
general practice. But the truth is, it is highly advantageous at any, 
and at all seasons ; and our shrewd old farmers have a saying—• 
“ Gel your lime on for your corn, if you can,—but be sure to get it on 
the land, some time in the year.'’’ 
Query V. “ I low is it incorporated with the soil — 'by the plough or 
the harrow ? and is it applied in any case as a top dressing to grass 
and to grains, and with what effect 1” 
Answer. As already stated, after the sod is ploughed down for 
Indian corn, it is usually harrowed once, to render the surface more 
uniform. The lime is spread as equally as possible over the field,— 
and then the ground is well harrowed in different directions, in or¬ 
der to incorporate the lime with the so,il. Soon afterwards the field 
is marked out, and planted with corn. The plough is rarely, it ever 
used for the purpose alluded to. I have mentioned above, that lime 
is occasionally used as a top dressing for grass. It appears to be 
particularly beneficial to tnat crop; and answers extremely well 
when applied in that manner. The practice of applying it to Indian 
corn, as above related, is however, chiefly followed; and the appli¬ 
cation of a dressing to each field, in rotation, causes as much labor 
and expense every year, as our farmers generally are willing to in¬ 
cur. Lane has rarely been used as a top dressing to grain crops, 
within my knowledge. 
Query VI. “ What■ is the ordinary cost, per acre, of liming, and 
the relative profits, in increased products of a period of years V' 
Answer. Q,uick lime, at the kilns, usually costs twelve and a half 
cents per bushel. The farmers generally haul it with their own 
iearns ; and the additional expense depends, of course, materially 
upon the distance. It is frequently hauled by them a distance of 
eight, ten, and even twelve miles. The average, perhaps, is about 
five or six miles. It is delivered to me by the lime burners, 
(a distance of near 6 miles,) at 18 cents per bu-hel. At the rate of 
40 bushels to the acre, the cost, at 18 cents, would be $7.20 cents 
per acre. It is difficult to estimate, with precision, the relative pro¬ 
fits in increased products: But I can safely say, from my own ex¬ 
perience, on a small farm of middling quality, that two dressings of 
lime at the above rate, m the course of 8 or 9 years, have more than 
trebled the products of t he land to which it was applied, both in grain* 
and grass. It is io be understood, however, that the system of 
ploughing only so much ground as could be well manured, was adopted 
at ihe same time, I may also observe, generally, that the farmers 
of this dislict, (who are shrewd economists) are so well convinced 
of the beneficial effects ol liming, t hat costly as its application sterns 
io be, they are unanimous in sparing no eifiirt to procure it. Lime 
has been found to be peculiarly favorable to the growth of pasture, 
when the farm is otherwise well managed; and as our farmers are 
mostly in the practice of feeding cattle, they resort to liming as an 
ind'spi nsible auxiliary to successful grazing. 
Query VII. “ Is lime applied with yard manures, or earthy com¬ 
posts, and with what results 1” 
Answer. I have already intimated that vegetable matters, and 
especially yard manures, are highly important in conjunction with 
lime. Boili are valuable, even when used separately; but when 
combined, the effect is most complete. If to this be added, the great 
secret of good farming, viz. to plough only so much ground as can 
