1853. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Use of Lime as Manure. 
In compliance with the request of Cyrus In¬ 
galls, of Dobbs’ Ferry , N, Y-., we furnish a few 
practical remarks on the use of lime 
To apply evenly, it must be in a state of pow¬ 
der. It is usually rendered so by slacking with 
water, taking care to use only enough to reduce 
it, without moistening it into adhesive lumps. 
Authorities differ as to the importance of apply¬ 
ing caustic lime, some believing it much better for 
using when fresh, and others regarding air-slacked 
lime, powdered marl, and ground limestone, as 
equally beneficial. We have not experiments 
sufficient to enable us to decide this point. The 
probability is the difference is not great, as the 
most caustic lime soon becomes saturated with 
carbonic acid. 
The quantity per acre varies from 25 to 300 
bushels. On land which has been long cultivated, 
and which contains but little organic matter, it 
must be applied very sparingly ,• while on new or 
newly worked land, and especially on peaty soils, 
or those which abound with decayed vegetable 
matter, it may be used in much larger quantities. 
On wet or water-soaked soils, it can be of no val¬ 
ue—the land must be well drained. It is gene¬ 
rally believed to lessen the adhesive nature of 
clayey soils, and to increase the firmness of light 
ones. 
After having been reduced to powder, it is to 
be spread evenly over the surface, and then tho¬ 
roughly intermixed. The best way is first to har¬ 
row the ground well, as soon as the lime is 
spread, and then to turn under this pulverized 
surface, a few inches by means of a gang-plow. 
It should not be plowed in very deeply. For 
spring crops, it may be applied in spring; for 
wheat, early in autumn. The season of the year 
for its application is not however a matter of very 
great importance, as its effects remain several 
years. 
Lands which have been long and repeatedly 
limed, are frequently found to receive no Benefit 
from its application. In such cases, peat or yard 
manures will be found of great advantage. In no 
case, indeed, is a permanent benefit to be expect¬ 
ed, without the accompanying use of yard 
manure. 
Cuthbert W. Johnson found an excellent result 
from the use of lime in a compost, made by mix¬ 
ing thoroughly the lime with about twenty times 
its bulk of ditch-scrapings, old banks or pond mud. 
Applied at the rate of 20 or 25 cubic yards per 
acre, he found this compost to increase by one- 
third, the products of natural soil. Whether it 
would do so generally, can be only determined by 
trial. —o-— 
Culture of Potatoes. 
Mr. Phineas Pratt, of Deep River, Ct., informs 
us that, after some thirty years experience and 
close observation, he has come to the conclusion 
that the potato rot is caused by an undue absorb- 
tion of moisture by the balls, before they are ful¬ 
ly ripe. The increase of the disease, of late years, 
is owing to a change in the nature of the olant, 
caused by excessive culture. 
Whatever opinions may be entertained with re¬ 
gard to the correctness of this conclusion, the fol¬ 
lowing preventives, as given by Mr. Pratt, are 
undoubtedly good. 
1. Procure good seed; be sure that the grower 
of them had no rotten potatoes. If yard manure 
is used, plow it in deep. 
2. If the land is wet and springy, drain it, and 
arrange the rows in such a way the surplus 
water will run off. If there is a gravelly or clay 
sub-soil near the surface, use the sub-soil plow', 
and in most cases your crop will be doubled be¬ 
sides preventing the rot. In a level, retentive 
soil, let the furrow's between the rows be lower 
than where the potatoe lies. Straw, stubble, tan 
bark, leaves, peat, are all good in the hill. With¬ 
out them the soil must be in good heart to grow 
potatoes well. 
Potatoes are not much injured from w r ater when 
fully ripe; the Mercers, however, most of any. 
The Osier Willow—Its Cultivation, &c. 
BY C. N. BEMENT. 
Having frequently been applied to by letter, for 
information in regard to the cultivation of the bas¬ 
ket willow, and knowing your desire to lay before 
your readers such information as is best calculated 
to benefit the farmers, I take the liberty of ad¬ 
dressing to the readers of the Country Gentleman, 
such information as I possess on the subject. 
11 From the best information I can obtain,” says 
W C. Haynes, in Hunt’s Merchants’ Magazine, 
“ there are from four to five millions of dollars 
worth of willows annually imported into this coun¬ 
try, from France and Germany. The price ran¬ 
ges from $100 to $130 per ton weight. The quan¬ 
tity imported may appear large, and yet it is not 
sufficient for the consumption. In view of this 
importation, and the large sum expended for wil¬ 
lows, would it not be well for our farmers and 
land-holders to give a little attention to this sub¬ 
ject.” 
“ The people of England,” says the same wri¬ 
ter, u until the year 1808, relied entirety for their 
supply upon continental Europe. Their supply 
was cut off by the breaking out of the war be¬ 
tween Great Britain and France, so that after that 
period they were compelled to rely upon their 
own crops; and many associations in England of¬ 
fered large premiums on the best production of the 
willow.” 
The late Duke of Bedford, one of the best far¬ 
mers of that day, gave much attention to the 
subject, which is vigorously prosecuted by his son, 
the present duke. 
There are thousands of acres of land in this 
country, which in their present state are entirety 
useless, yielding little or nothing to the owners, 
which might, with very little expense, be planted 
with willow, and would yield a great profit. From 
my own experience, I am fully convinced that the 
willow may be grown profitably in this country, 
for less than fifty dollars per ton weight . 
For several years previous to my leaving Three 
Hills Farm, I cultivated a small patch of Osier 
Willow, for the purpose of binding my corn stalks, 
in place of straw, and for making baskets for the 
use of the farm. The patch consisted of four rows, 
each fiftj r feet long. My attention was first direct¬ 
ed to a more extended cultivation, from the fact 
of an offer made me by a German basket maker, 
