690 
vantageous. In the procefs of making 
quick lime, it becomes divetted of the 
fixed air which it contained when chalk, 
which, in its changed ftate (ime) becomes 
highly cauftic, and pow exfully attraétiv 
of fixed air. This power it exerts on the 
furrounding atmofphere, and takes from 
it a portion of its conftituent principle 
(fixed air); the foil then being blended 
with this new matter, and plentifully fup- 
plied with the principle of vegetable lite, 
becomes more prolific, being acted upon 
by the fixed air (acquired by the lime) as 
a fiimulus, and not by any fep Dtic q uality 
inherent in the lime or fixed ee the 
latter of which, particularly, poilefes a 
confiderable antifeptic power, and will 
even check the putrefaétion of animal 
fubftances. 
It may be objeéted,. that iPthe dime 
attracts fixed air, why not expect it to 
exert its Dae on the land on which it 
3s laid, rather than act on the atmofphere ? 
it may be anfwered, it a€ts on that which 
retains it the flightet 5 this the atr does. 
Thus by the ufe of | oe as a manure, 
land is improved by the application of an 
increafed ftimulus (namely, fixed air) ; 
yet, undoubtedly, the continued and too 
frequent application of this will impove- 
rifh the land, by too much exhaufting its 
quality; thus, though to the human frame 
pure air, ina proper degree. is highly fa- 
Tutary, yet if it were potible to form an“ 
atmofphere wholly, or tov plentifully 
fupplied with it, il! confequences would, 
very pr obably, follow, by fuch increafed 
aétion en the circ oe 
Corrupting vegetables ar and animal fub- 
fiances may be ferviceable to land-on the 
above principle, the admiflion of fixed 
air (which is the combinir 1g part of 
Spe) when It elcapes, decompofition 
nd pu ietcfachion enfue. 
“By Dr. Priefilev’s experime nts, i: ae- 
pears. that vegetation meliorates fou! air, 
and, 1 infome cafes. will render air, when 
noxicus to animal life, favourable to it. 
The_fervice experienced by freqwent 
white-wafhing the cells of prifons, and 
apartments where putrid difeafes have 
been, may be accounted for, by the at- 
traction lime has to =n air; the latter 
exifting in ar increafed degree in thefe 
places, and in which the putrid effluvia 
lurk, which by means of the aétion of 
the lime beccme abforbed. 
Air, deprived of a portion of its fixed 
air, or fupphied with an increafe-of pure 
air, produces a pleafing effect on the 
human frame; hence the fenfation ex- 
perienced in paifing over frefh dug er- 
a 
Upes of Limes. wand Fi allowing inveftigated, 
[0% 
ploughed ground, a new fobs being. 
expoted t to the atmofphere, from whencé 
it attraéts fixed air to affift vegetation, 
and which gives out pure air. 
Wefirsinfier, OF. 6, 1796. 

To ibe Editor of the Monibly Magaziites 
SIR, 
I LOOK over your Monthly Labours 
with amuflement and inftruétion.— 
Your fabjeéts are generally well chofen, 
and many of them ably handled. 
one whith, I muit fay, I was concerned to 
fee you bring forward; as I fear, fir, it 
is too extenfive and unweildy to be treats 
ed of, with proft, in 2 mifeellaneous 
work like your’s. “Fhe fubjeé&t I mean is 
Agriculture: a fabject with which mert 
of letters and general icieuce are fel dom. 
well acquainted ; and I forefaw that you 
would be liable to the fpecuktions of 
Shoe minds, and to the erroneous, 
though ‘well intended, remarks of the 
inexper vee } am not afhamed to 
teil you, fir, that Iam grown grey in 
the practice of this eld and ufeful art z 
yet fo far from haying reached any des 
sreercr p erfection 1 in the higher and more 
ebftrufe ees of it, almoft all that I have 
learned on them is difidence. Nevérthe- 
lefs, in the common occurrences of farm- 
ing, I have few difficulties left to en- 
counter ; and although I have but little 
ifure for cae ence, I cannot fe= 
Frais from offering you a few remarks, 
on this my moft fav (oan fubjeét. 
What has thus drawn me forth as your 
correfpondent, is a letter in your loft 
month’s Number, figned J. 5.° on the 
fubje& of “ ie ng land fora crop,” 
me 
by hich I judge the writer means, Keeps 
ing | land in tillage ail the fummer ; ‘but: 
he hi has not well expreffed himfelf. 
Now, fir, though I ever pay refpect 
te the wifdem of our forefathers, and in 
Inatters of practice that have been long 
in ufe I often find them right; yet 7 
eonfider the practice of fallowing land 
each third year (as was once commonly 
done through the kingdom, and fill re- 
mains an ulage in counties ‘where lands 
lie i in open common fields) as altogether 
improper, in the prefen t ate of things; 
however proper it mic cht have been at 
the time that pra Sice was fet on foot.—= 
But, fir, wich refpe& to negleéted land, 
which, through a want of proper tillage 
hoeing, and weeding, are become deeply 
infe€ted with weeds, “1 have abwaysi 
feund it mo advifeable to effect, at oncey - 
5 a radicaf! 
x. Fy 
I muf - 
confefs, however, that you have adopted ~ 

