INDIANA   FARMER.
■fOL   II.]
Devoled lo Agriculture, Horticulture, Mechanics and the Useful Arts.
[110. 3.
W. '!'. I>. n.ii-,      )  Editors. )
RICHMOND, IND., OCTOBER I 1852.
(
Ilollotvny  &■  Co.,
Publishers.
BV  rROFESSOR   B. LAWRENCE.
 •_ ^PMM UJVJ1CATIONS.      ; effect of marls differing so greatly in their com-
For the Indiana Karmer.      position must be very different,  and will  call
SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTTJRE-No. 12,       ] for discretion on the part of the farmer.    Marls
[ scarcely differ from common limestone in any
i thing but their   being in  a friable or powdered
Of the use of Lime. : state; for limestone is seldom pure carbonate of
Naturally fertile lands, while they are fresh, lime, containing very variable proportions of
are in little or no need of aid from tho hand of, silicious and aluminous earths, to the extent of
tho artificial agriculturist; the plow and tho hoe half or more sometimes of their substances.—
properly used, are sufficient to make them pro- ] Hence the expedient of crushing or of grinding
duce abundantly for the sustenance of man and limestone where marl is not to be had, has been
of beast. Rut after a few years of successive : resorted to, which is equally as efficient, the
cropping, it begins to be seen that a deteriora-; only objection to it, being on account of its ex-
tion has commenced, and if the croppingis con- j pense.
tinned, it goes on increasing until almost entire It matters but little in what state lime is ap-
infertility ensues- Then it becomes a question . plied to land, whether in the form of marl, or
of serious importance to the possessors of such ! powdered limestone, or of quick lime. Its ultt-
lands, what shall be done. Shall they abandon j mate effects are the same, though quick lime is
them as worthless and "worn out," and seek a  more rapid in its effects, not because of its cau-
new home in the wilderness, or shall they undertake, by the application of science and art,
to restore them to their pristine fertility. No
man who is not totally blinded both to his own
interests and to those of his country, can  hesi-
sticity, for it soon loses that by re-uniting with
carbonic acid, but because of its being in a
state of extreme fineness.
Lime constitutes a portion   of the inorganic
elements of all crops, and on this account, its
tate for a moment which of the two alternations ; presence   in  the soil is absolutely necessary;
to choose, and his inquiry will soon be directed ; but besides this, it plays a very  important and
conspicuous part in the effects which it has,
both upon the mechanical and chemical condi-
to the best mode of restoring the exhausted fertility of his lands.
Of all the forms, and kinds of mineral matter used for this purpose, lime is and has been
in all ages, by far the most common, and is
used in the greatest abundance. Rut it should
bo borne in mind that it is not to bo used indiscriminately at all times, and on all occasions.
The quantity to be used depends much upon the
kind of soil to which it is applied, and to a variety of other circumstances. And so groat is
that variety, that no rules can bo framed as an
infallible guide to the farmer; but much must
depend on experiment, and his own practical
good sense.
There are two conditions in which lime may
be applied to land; first, in a natural stale as
marl, or powdered limestone, and secondly, in
an artificial state, as burnt or quick lime.—
Marl consists of carbonate of lime, sometimes
nearly pure, but much oftenev mixed with very
variable quantities of clay and sand, which arc
sometimes so abundant as to constitute more
than nincf-nths of the whole.    Of - om:.-e th'
tion of the soil. Its mechanical effects have
already been alluded to in a previous number,
and its chemical effects remain to be considered. Its chemical effects are chiefly exerted upon
the organic, or vegetable matter existing in the
soil; and consequently if there be a deficiency
in this, the application of lime can be of littlo
or no benefit, for the want of the proper material
to operate upon. In any case however the effect of lime upon soil is slow, and is but feebly
apparent during the first year, but becomes
greatest during the second and third years; after which it gradually declines until it ceases,
which frequently extends to fifteen or twenty
years.
A farmer, who recently had his butter seized
by the clerk of the market for short weight,
"ave as a reason, that the cow Irom which the
butler was made was subject to the cramp, and
that caused the butter to shrink in weight.
Nobody ever sees an action as very Wrong,
when undei th? r-xeiunvjnt of doing it.