[Document EE.] •Xi BY THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, March 2, 1844. Read and ordered to be printed. REPORT OV THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, RELATIVE TO THE Application of Lime to the Different Qualities of Soil, AND THE USE OF CALCAREOUS MATTER FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES. \n obedience lo an order of the House of the 27th January ANNAPOLIS RILEY k DAVIS, PRINTEBi 1844- REP O R T, The Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred the order submitted by Mr, Smith, on the 27th of January, beg leave to REPORT: That an increased production from the soil, effected by the ap- plication of lime has by no means been a discovery of modem tiaies. As it exists in marl, it was long used by the ancient Greeks, who probably knew not that they were applying lime. The Ro- mans were aware of the value of marl, but its existence in Italy was not known till after the fall of the Roman Empire. When they pushed their conquests into Gaul and Britain, they found the barbarian farmers, as they were considered, manuring their lands with marl, which they have continued to do to the present day. The application of calcined stone or lime to land in Europe com- menced at a later period, perhaps but little before the beginning of our era. The Chinese now use it. and no doubt have been in the practice from a remote period. Since the revival of letters the attention of scientific men has been devoted to the rationale of its action upon the land. They made little progress, however, until within a few years past. The discoveries of Saussure, Davy, Chaptal, Sprengel, Boussingault and a host of other eminent en- quirers into the relations of chemistry to agriculture and vegetable and animal physiology, hvid before the world a mass of valuable facts, whicli the gigantic mind of Liebig has enabled him to gen- eralise, and to develope light and certainty where much darkness and mystery formerly existed. The principles adopted in his in- vestigations, brought him to conclusions wiiich seem evidently founded upon the immutable laws of nature. We may safely as- sert that a new era has dawned upon agriculture and physiology. On the continent of Europe where it is esteemed the duty of the different governments to encourag-e agriculture, as far as lies in their power, we find n^any able oaen under their fostering care, devoting themselves to the importani occupation of bringing science to the aid of agricultuie, and a flood of hght is being shed upon the sub- ject of rendering the soil more productive. In England we find them fully alive to the subject; her nobles and gentry, tvlio were in times past disposed to rest (heir claims for honorable distinction upon their success in making war upon their enemies or upon one another, are now found entering the lists to compete witji each other, in the less chivalric, but certainly more useful occupation of raising turnips. The princely fortunes of many of her land hold- ers, enable such as recjuire it, to get efficient aid from the investi- gations of scientific men. The works of Professor James F. W. Johnston, who is exclusively devoted to agricultural chemistry, are republished in this country as fast as they issue from the press in England. They are of inestimable value to the farmer. A few 3"ears since, there would have been little use in making the inquiries now proposed to the committee, for the reason that there weie too few data to start with ; the subject was so much veil- •ed in mystery, that we could have said little more to the farmer than " that as experience proves, that lands cannot for a long period be profitably cultivated without the application of lime in somef form or other, it is expedient to use it." Now, however, such a wide field of research is opened to us, that we find it difficult to confine ourselves to those branches of the investigation that we cad complete within the time we have allotted for making this report. Whilst we regrei that the lateness of the period when the subjects were committed to our charge has prevented a more full examina- tion, and a more s^^stematic arrangement of the matter; we hope, however, our exertions will be found to throw some light on this most interesting subject, and be of some little practical use at least, to our agricultural community — and make still more manifest the importance of furiher pursuing the subject of the application of science to agriculture, so that we may keep pace with the improv'e- ments of the age. Section 1. — Of the properties of Iwie and some of its compounds the most important to agriculture. Lime is not, as was fomierly supposed, a simple substance ; it is composed of a metallic substance called calcium united to oxygen. When pure it is a white brittle earthy solid, having alkaline pro- perties, whose specific gravity is to that of water as 2^% to 1. It is per se one of the most infusible of known bodies, having a strong affinity for water, and when combining rapidly therewith a consid- erable degree of heat is developed, as may be obseived when it is slacking. The heat is often sufficient to ignite wood and other combustibles. The compound of lime and water, constitutes what is called hjdrate of lime, or water slacked lime, its constitution is Lime, - - - T6 parts. Water, - - 24 « 100 ' 4 This hydrate is sparingly soluble in water, and more so in cold than in warm water. About 700 grains of pure water, free from carbonic acid, will dissolve 1 grain of lime. Carbonate of lime, (common limestone,) consists of Lime, _ . .. . 55 parts. Carbonic acid^ - - - 44 " 100 It constitutes the great mass of the limestone and chalk which, form so large a portion of the crust of the earth. It is the principal constituent of shells, and forms the calcareous matter of marls. Carbonate of Imie is nearly if not quite insoluble in pure water, but is readily dissolved in water containing carbonic acid, and as rain and snow water always contain carbonic acid, lime upon or near the surface of the earth is unceasingly being dissolved and di- minished in quantity — an exceedingly interesting fact in an agri- cultural point of view. Lime in combination with phosporic acid is called phospate of lime, and sometimes ''bone earth." It constitutes, with a smaller proportion of carbonate of lime, nearly all the earthy matter of bones. It also exists in small proportion in shells. It is insoluble in pure water, but the presence of acids (even the weakest of all, carbonic acid,) renders it soluble. Phosphoric acid and lime unite in several proportions, but the combination that most concerns us, is that which forms part of bones and shells, which is Phosphoric acid, - - - 52 parts. Lime, - - - - 48 " 100 Sulphate of Ihne, is well known under the names of gypsum or plaister of pans, and when pure consists of Sulphuric acid,, - - 4C parts. Lune, - - - 33 " Water, - - - - 21 " 100 Having thus briefly glanced al some of the properties and com- binations of lime, we proceed to treat of lime as a manure, &.e. Section 2. — Of lime as a manure or as a constituent of plants. The elementary constituents of all plants, for the most part con- sist of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. The three first exists in the largest proportion, and form the great bulk of the plant, the last is equally necessary, and with the rest, form the albumen, gluten and other nitrogenous compounds which principally abound in the seeds and juices of plants. The air of our atmosphere al- ways contains water, carbonic acid and ammonia, which furnish to plants the above named elements nearly equal perhaps to theiv wants, after the first stages of their growth. In former days these were believed to be all that were essential to vegetation, but mo <3eni science has deinonsli tiled that ceilain mineral substances, which the results of oonibusliou proved always to exist in plants, were quite as essential to their iiiowlli. We might illustrate this position by the investigation of animal and vegetable physi(ilog)% but we must avoid digressing uKjreilhan is absolutely necessary to the proper understanding of the subject under consideration, and be content with the remark, that nature has decreed that plant-s shall receive certain matters, in a great part from the atmosphere, and those we call their organic part — but their mineral constituents must come fiom the soil. The most impor- tant of these mineral substances are potash, soda, lime, silica mag- nesia, iron, manganese, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine and iodine. There are otjiers found in smaller propoilion in plants, but most of these are perhaps non-essentials. The mineral matters constitute, generally, from one to two per «ent. of the living plant, and tu:e what we call ashes, when the combustible parts have been burned away. Their state of combi nation is varied by every different plant. The phosphorus is, perhaps, always united to oxygen, forming phosphoric acid, which in plants usually exists in combination with lime or magnesia, or with both, as ia the grain of wheat, and in many other seeds. The sulphur, in most instances, exists as sul- phuric acid, which is generally united wath lime in plants, but of- ten is combined with potash, soda, &c.; the chlorine is a combina- tion with the potash, or forms with the soda the well known com- mon salt. Iodine only exists in plants growing in or near the salt waters. Besides these mineral acids, various other acids, the pro- ducts of vegetable organism, forai in plants, compounds with the above named alkalies, earths and metallic oxides. Before this subject was sufficiently investigated, it was common to consider only such substances as furnished vegetable food to plants '■'■manures,'' whilst mineral or inorganic matters such as lime potash, k,c., it was supposed entered the plants to act as stimulants or to have some undefinable mechanical action. Some are suffi- ciently fanciful yet to cling to the stimulating theory, but the exact and rigid rules for scientific investigation of the present age permits not the indulgence of fancy, which has been transferred from the more exact sciences to poetry. Each plant always contains cer- tain mineral or organic compounds, (subject to little variation, as will be seen) in whatever part of the world the plant may have its existence. If these essentials be deficient, the plant will languish and produce a stunted growth : if entirely absent from the soil the plant will die soon after, exhausting the minute quantity which the seed contained. In order to show what is necessary to some of our most important plants, we will state the quantities and kinds ihat exist in Tobacco, Wheat and Clover, 1,000 lbs. of dried Tobacco leaves contain : Chloride of potr^ssiuin, . . . - . ,63 lbs. KSiilphate of " .50 " Potassa combitjed with nitric and malic acids, Phosphate of lir.ie, - Lime combined with malic acid, Silica (same as flint or quarts,) Being nearly seven pounds. 6.92 1,000 lbs. of Wheat and the 2,000 lbs. of Strav: that has home it contains : Grain. Straw. Total. Silica, (sand) . 4.00 57.40 61.40 Potash, - 2.25 .40 2.65 Soda- - 2.40 .60 3.00 Magnesia, - - .90 .64 1.54 Alumina, (clay) - - .26 1.80 2.06 Sulphuric acid, (oil vitriol) - .50 .74 1,24 Phosphoric acid, - - .40 3.40 3.80 Clilorine, - - .10 .60 .70 Lime, -Vff pounds. .96 4.S0 5.76 The total being 83- n.77 70.38 83.15 1,000 Ws. Red Clover when made into Hay contains: Lime, 27.80 lbs. Pot-ash, 19.95 " Soda, .-.---- 5.29 " Magnesia, - - 3.33 " Silica, (sand) 3.61 " Sulphuric acid, .-....- 4.47 "= Phosphoric acid, 6.57 " Chlorine, 3.62 " 74.64 Besides traces of Alumina and Iron.' -'Note. — Tliese results shew that clover contains in equal weights nearly three times the amount of inorganic matters con- tained in the whole wheat plant deducting the roots. If we deduct the silica which abounds in all soils we find that clover contains nearly ten times the quantity of minerals, as wheat. One great effect of clover is the pumping up, as it were, by means of its long and descending roots these necessary materials from depths to which Tobacco, grains, grasses, &c. , do not reach. The crop being allow- ed to rot on the ground or fed to stock whose manure is put on the fields, give a large quantity of mineral matters \\hich we believe are more effective to the succeeding crop than the vegetable part. ft IiJts been ftscertained dmi 1,000 lbs. of maize or Indian com contain 15 lbs. of (he Phosphate and Sulphate of lime, but a com- plete onalysiri of (he whole plant has not yet been made as far as has come to our knowledge. Every soil depends for its fertility mainly upon it.s containing due proportions of certain mineral mat- ters. We find howe\ er, that nature's laws admit phmts (in cases whei'e one or more of these arc deficient,) to substitute certaiil others, but this is confined within well defined limils. For in- stance, one alkali or alkaline earth Jiiay supph' in p;iri the place of ano(her, and some acids may be partly supplied by o(hers, but here (hose partial substitutions stop. As an in.stance for illustra- tion, we may give (he fact, (hat where soda and pot-ash are dffi- cient in a soil, (heir place is partly supplied by lime, but if all (hre6 be absent, (he soil will be absolutely sterile however well, we might manage it in all other respects, except in supplying (he deficiency. Hence we would remark, that to deiermine whether lime "acts as a manure,"' we niust know in what sense the term is used. If we mean by manure, such substances as upon being added to a soil, increase the growth of plants therein, it follows that lime as w^ell as many other mattere essential to vegetation, act as manures only in such soils as do not contain them in due proportion. We shall conclude this branch of our investigation with t]io following maxims, viz : 1. Lime is an essenti;d constituent of plemts. 2. That plants will not thrive when it is entirely absent from the soil. 3. Chemical analysis has demonstrated that liirie exists in all fertile soils, that have hitherto been accurately analysed. 4. In such soils as are absolutely sterile, it has been proven when they have been anal3'sed (hat some of the essential inorganic sub- stances are absent; and that it is lime very frequentiv. Having hitherto treated of lime only as a mineral constituent of plants, we proceed to shew that lime and the alkalies serve other important purposes of vegetation. Section* 3. — Of the effects of lime upon the substances composing the soil. Lime and the alkalies act energetically upon organic textures living or dead ; the action of the alkolies pot-ash and soda, is but slightly lessened even when they are in combination with carbonic acid. The action of carbonate of lime however, is far more feeble than quick lime. In hastening vegetable decomposition the alka- lies and lime also, accelerate the liberation of the inorganic matters contained therein, and at the same time, produce a more ready ssuppl}' of humus, useful to the plant in all stages of its growth, but more particularly so, when young, and before it has many leaves to get sufficient supplies of carbonic acid, ammonia and water from the atmosphere. Lime and the alkalies decompose many stoney bodies and liberate matters useful to vegetation. Most of the rocks of Maryland contain lime, pot-a.sh and soda 8 and sometimes all three exist in the same lock. Soils which have not been produced by matter deposited by water (called trans- ported soils,) arc the result of the slow disintegration of rocks, and when sufficient of such finely disintegrated matter accumulates upon the rock, plants begin to grow in the soil so formed. The soils of our territory above tidewater have been thus formed, whilst the soil of the lower country has been for the most part transported by water. We should expect therefore, such matters as existed in the rocks would be in the soil and such is the fact, although por- tions of some of the constituents are carried off in solution. An important use then of lime, is further to promote the decomposition of the mineral constituents of the soil, in order to eliminate, such as plants require. We cannot conceive an arable soil to exist, in which lime will not, in this manner, do good service. The me- chanical texture of soils is improved by the use of lime. All farmers know how necessaiy it is that a soil should neither be so stiff as to prevent sufficient access of air and water, nor so hght as too readily to permit water to escape b}^ percolation or evaporation. When a soil is loose or friable it is owing to the presence of sand and other small grains of rocks not sufficiently disintegrated. Lime continues the process of decomposition or disintegration and of course produces a finer texture to the soil, at the same time that it Hberates a further supply of the alkalies and other useful matters they may contain. So much then for the action of lime upon the mineral constituents of the soil. We incliile to the belief, that a more important use to us is in its action upon the decaying vegeta- ble and animal matter in the soil. It has long been known that the beneficial effects of lime are more striking when applied to soils which abound in organic matter, such for instance as glass or clover fields. This is due to its hastening the decay of the vegetable matter. We should bear in mind that this occasions a more rapid ex- haustion of these matters in the soil, in the regular course of crop- ping, unless supplied by manures containing the same elementary principles which have been abstracted. Section 4. — Of the effect of lime upon ike quality of' crops and iipo^.i 7)iatters injurious to them. The settled judgement of observant farmers, both, in Europe and our own country, seems to be, that its application promotes the growth and improves the quality of all our grains and grasses in all soils deficient in calcareous matter, and by its neutralizing effect upon our soils, frees us from niany noxious weeds and insects. Would not those who seek to have the standard weight of wheat reduced, find it to their interest to increase both its a'^-oresrate and specific w^eight by the application of lime and mail to their lands, instead of looking to a reduction of the standard below 60 pounds to the bushel? Let us not fall back in this enterprizing age. It seems to be universal^ admitted in England that lime tends TO prevent smut in whent when applied to the gi-ain before seed- ing. Being soaked a few hours in a strong brine of salt and water, it is then mixed with freth sh\ked lime in fine powder and sown. Lime as well as the alkalies ([uickens the germination of all seeds, and so hastens the coming up of all seeded and planted crops. Acid substances injurious to growing plants are neutralized by lirne. These acids often exist, more particularly in newly drained marshy or boggy land. Sulphate of iron or copperas (veiy injuri- ous to living plants,) is common in the same kind of soil, and when a sufficient quantity of lime is applied and thoroughly mixed wi)h the soil the hurtful compound is decomposed, and an oxide of iron and sulphate of lime or gypsimi is formed, both of which are essen- tial to plants. Having thus indicated some of the most important effects pro- duced by lime in its relations to agriculture — we proceed to con- sider some of the modes of applying it to the soil. Section 5. — Of the best modes of applying lime. Unfortunately the great body of the agriculturists of our countrj' and indeed of the world, have hitherto been too little disposed to make themselves acquainted with the fixed principles of the sciences appertaining to their profession. Without some such knowledge we are often liable to entertain wrong views and be mistaken in matters of fact coming under our notice. How often do we find persons firmly adhering to false facts, which a know- ledge of the principles involved would have guarded them from? Upon this subject we submit tire following observations. In the first place, we think it must be obvious to every one who will look into the subject, that to attain the greatest eflect from lime it must be applied in a perfectly fine powder or in solution, and be intimately mixed with the soil to a proper depth. But bearing in mind its solubility, we are warned by economy not to apply it much below the surface, because it never ascends unless brought up by the plough, but on the contrary is incessant- ly descending deeper into the soil. The more porous the soil the more rapidly it will descend, and of course, should not be placed so deep in a friable soil, as it may be in a stiffer one. Besides being canied down by solution, it is found to descend in powder by being washed mechanically through the interstices of a friable or recently cultivated soil. It seems clear therefore, that lirne should either be laid on the surface, as a top dressing, 01 only mixed with the surface soil, by the harrow or cultivator. In eastern Pennsylvania where the farmers have long had ex- perience in the use of lime, it has been the practice of late years, to spread it carefully upon their grass lands at lea£.t two years before plowing them. The excellence of this system is sustained both by theory and practice — because much of the lime will be found to have sunk some inches into the soil, but not below the reach of the plough, which turns it up and by subsequent cultivation it be- comes well mixed through the soil. Quick lime and manure should not be mixed together or applied 10 about the same time to the soil — the intervention of a year w ould be better perhaps, for the reason, that it v^ery rapidly decomposes the manure and hberates faster than is necessary the valuable g-aseous matters, which should renjain in the soil as far as possible until the plants absorb them. In hot weather this effect would be more pernicious than when the ground is cold. These objections to mixing lime with manure do not apply to marl, which acts very slowly upon manure. Lime is useful in composts which contain little or no stable manure, in fact both experience and theory co- incide in favor of the opinion, that the most economical mode of using lime is by mixing with at least five or six times its weight of earth, (which is the better, if rich in vegetable matter,) the mixture should lay several months before using. Lime applied in this way acts more promptly upon the growing crop than when applied alone, and the bulk of luatter being greater it may be more uni- formily spread over the ground. Almost every farmer can find materials for such composts in swamps or ditches. As the decay of organic matter depends upon the presence of the oxygen of the atmosphere, of course lime aids it most when near the surface, and when buried deep in the soil is almost if not quite useless for this puipose. i?ECTi0N 6, — Of the quantity to be applied. \v\ the present state of knowledge, expereince should guide us in regard to the proper quantity to be applied to the acre, inasmuch as a great diversity of opinion exists among those who use lime. And this diversity of opinion, we are strongly inclined to believe, will continue to exist until analysis is resorted to as our guide — both as to (he propei^ties of the soil and the quality of the Vnne. In Eng- land, it is common to use from 160 to 320 bushels per acre. The heat of our summers in rapidly effecting the decomposition of ve- getable matters, does much here, that in England requires the aid of lime — and the alternate freezing and thawing of our soil in win- ter, rendeisless lime necessary to promote the disintegration of the mineral substances. It was formerly more common to apply lime in larger doses and at longer intervals than seems to be prefered now. The more care- fully the lime is applied, the less is required, and from all the in- formation we at present have upon the subject, we incline to the belief that a quantity equal to about 40 to 50 bushels of ^oo^/ <7m?cA lime, should be applied to an acre, of most of our soils, and repeat- ed every 8 or 10 years ; or what would be Ijetter, perhaps, half that quantity in compost applied at shorter intervals. The reason why lime must be repeatedly added to soils, we hope we have ren- dered sufficiently obvious to all in the facts already stated, (because we regard it as a highly important matter,) that the quantity is incessantly being reduced by what is carried off in the rain water, water percolating through the soil, absorbed by plants and carried off in the crops, &c. We think then that experience confirmed by theory points to the propriety of applying small doses, at short in- 11 lervals. By tidoptiug this mode, Uie lime is kept nearev the sur- face and more iinifomily (tistribuied to every part of the soil, so that every t'lhrv of liie roo(3 of ilu; growiiij^ plants can have its due sup- ply, and all die matters of the soil arc more likely to be continually acted on. The shell marls so bountifully dispensed over a considerable por tion of our State below tide water, have an imporlant bearing upon the agricultural prosperity of our tide water districts. They consist of marine shells mixed with sand or clay, and their value is in proportion to the amount of shells they contain suscep- tible of being readily disintegrated. When they consist principally of hard shells it might be advisable to calcine them if good marl cannot be had. The marl should lay on the surface one or two years, (according to the condition of the shells,) before being ploughed in, in order that the shells may be crumbled to powder, or as nearly so as possible. The composition of our marls vary so much, that no rule can be laid down as to the quantity proper to be applied ; all we can do is to refer those interested to the reports of Professor Ducatel, the late State Geologist, in which thoy will find much valuable information. It has generally been supposed by those cultivating limestone lands, that the calcareous principle was not w^anting in them. Be- lieving that this opinion is founded in error to a great extent, if not entirely, it may not be deemed entirely out of place in concluding this subject, to recommend the use of hme upon them, imless che- mical analysis should shew a sufiiciency of it in the soil. Section 7. — Of the value of lime compared with common manure. Chemical analysis shows that common bam yard manure con- tains all the ingredients that enter into the composition of plants, and if the dung of all the domestic animals on a farm be mixed together, the mineral constituents will be found about in the pro- portion required by ouv cultivated crops. This is the reason why it is applicable to all soils, and in eveiy climate. The committee know of no means whereby the comparative va- lue of lime and common manure could be ascertained. The action of common manure lasting only some two or three years, whilst that of lime is prolonged to 20 or 30 or more 5'^ears. Section 8. — Of sulpliate of lime,or gypsvm. Although not directed by the order of the House, to make an enquiry into the uses or effects of lime in this form, we take leave to submit that Professor Liebig says, that the action of gypsum "depends only upon its fixing in the soil the ammonia of the at- mostphere, which would otherwise be volatised, with the water which evaporates. The carbonate of ammonia contained in rain water is decomposed by gy'psum, in precisely the same matter as in the manufacture of sal-ammoniac. Soluble sulphate of ammonia and carbonate of lime are formed ; and this salt of ammonia pos- sessing no volatility is consequently retained in the soil. All the gypsum gradually disappears, but its action upon the carbonate of ammonia continues as lonsr as it exists." This as we believe well 12 established fact most strongly urges the necessity of its application to all soils in which it is deficient, and also to the utility of apply- ing it liberally to composts and manure heaps, it also materially lessens the odors from stables, privies, &c. whereby the health of man is promoted, as Avell as the domestic animals. Gypsum, like lime however, frequently contains a large proportion of matters fo- reign to it — most generally carbonate of lime, and the materials of which clay consists. In this view of the matter, we take it for granted, that its use will be greatly extended, and how far the farmers interest is pro- tected under our present system of inspection, in relation to the pu- rity of this article, we know not. The sul)ject, we think, merits public attention. Concluding remarks. A few years since, the use of lime for agricultural purposes in the State, was almost wholly confined to a feAV persons in the vi- cinity of what is called the Gunpowder limestone districts, in Bal- timore County, and fewer still in Carroll and Frederick Counties, on the Western Shore, and in Talbot, Kent and Q,ueen Anne Counties, on the Eastern Shore. At this time, however, its use is rapidly spreading all over the State. The A'^aluable beds of marl in the lower counties so long neglected, are being, we believe, more extensively used, although much less so than their intrinsic value merits. Their use should not be confined to the farms on which they occur, but all along the navigable shores of the Chesa- peake Bay and its tributaries, at least, if not along the lines of all our public improvements. Their existence, in many places, within a i&w yards of where vessels can ride, greatly favors their use. Pure lime, however, can be more advantageously hauled by the farmer to greater distances, and consequently immense quantities of lime will be wanting in our tide water counties through all co- ming time. The cause of the great extension of the use of lime is attributable partly to the diffiisioii of more correct views in regard to its uses in agricultural operations, and the sanctions of experience greatly aided by a large reduction in price. Formerly our tide water counties procured their stone lime from two sources, principally, viz : the Gunpowder district in Baltimore county, and Thomastown, in Maine, that from the former costing upon our bay and river shores, say from 30 to 40 cents per bushel, and that from the latter usually at a higher price. In the progress of time, however, avenues of cheap transportation have opened into the interior, bringing both the stone and the fuel for burning them to tide water, at greatly reduced rates. It is now pouring into the Chesapeake Bay through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, the Tide AVater Canal, the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, and from the valley of Herring Run, near the city of Baltimore. Limestone also occurs along the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, between Baltimore and the Potomac, and is being distri- buted along the line of that road, as also along the Philadelphia, 13 Wiliiiiijgtoii and Baltimore, Baltimore and Washington, and Elk- Ridge Railroads. And last, though not least, inexhaustible sup- plies of good limestone occur at many places upon the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which can be advantageously brought to tide wa- ter. And when that great work reaches the coal region of Alle- gany county, the fine coal can be delivered at the limestone quar- ries on the lower parts of the canal, and at tide water, at exceedingly low rates, and thence can be cheaply distributed among all the counties bordering on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. A considerable lime trade has already sprung up along the canal. The new impulse, thus given, to our agriculture by our pub- lic works, will always continue to the mutual advantage of both. Although the embarrassed condition of our finances, grow- ing out of their construction, rests heavily upon us, and is the pre- sent cause of much prejudice against them ; we think the time is not remote, however, when they will be differently regarded. By the census of 1840 it is shown, that the annual product of the agri- cultural industry of Maryland, alone amounts to seventeen million dollars ; nearly two-thirds of the annual product of the entire indus- try of the State. The tide of emigration has ceased. Mercantile operations have been curtailed, and capital is seeking pennanent investment in the soil. The spirit of improvement manifested throughout the State, with such great facilities to sustain it, and a sure reward awaiting it, authorises the assumption, we think, that the annual product of our industry will be greatly increased — the faith and honor of our State maintained, and the substantial comfort and happiness of our people established. The Committee respectfully recommend to their agricultural brethren of the Stale of Mar}dand, to procure the analysis of such soils, as they may take means to improve by lime, or otherwise; and transmit the same to the Chairman of the Committee on Ag riculture,at the next session of the Legislature, together with a por- tion of the soil, and its average product per acre, prior to improve- ment— and to several succeeding legislatures its average product imder such improvement — to the end that a basis may be formed upon which an intelligent and profitable system of husbandry may be established. All of which is respectfully submitted. D. W. NAILL, PHILIP POULTNPJY, ROBT. GHISELIN, LYDE GRIFFITH, WARFORD MANN. 14 A TABLE, Shewing the Annual Products of Industry in Maryland. I. Agricultuj'e, Horses and Mules, Neat Cattle, . Sheep, Hogs, . 25 per cent