o
distribute the lime in small piles in the field, placing the piles at
such convenient distance apart that the lime, after slaking, could be
spread easily with a shovel.

The water for slaking comes from rains, or from moisture in the air and
earth. The method is wasteful and can be justified, if ever, only where
farm-burned lime costs little per ton, and the nature of the soil is
such that a relatively heavy application can be safely made. The
distribution is necessarily uneven, and if the required amount goes upon
all the surface, a great excess is sure to go upon a portion of it. Very
often an excess of water puddles much of the lime in the pile, and lumps
may be seen lying in ineffective form in the soil for years. The
practice is responsible for much of the excessive application that
brought the use of caustic lime into disrepute.

_Slaking in Large Heaps._ A preferable method is to put the lime in flat
heaps of large size and about four feet deep, so that water may be
applied or advantage be taken of rainfall. The value of the lime is so
great that one can well afford to draw water and apply with a hose so
that the quantity can be controlled with exactness. When fresh burned
lime is perfectly slaked, each 56 pounds of pure lime becomes 74 pounds
of hydrated lime, water furnishing the added weight.

_Hydrated Lime on the Market._ A popular form of lime on the market is
the hydrate. Manufacturers first burn the stone, and in the case of a
pure limestone they drive off 44 pounds of each 100 pounds of the
weight in burning. Then, they combine enough water with the lime to
change it to hydrate form, and that adds 18 pounds weight. It is run
through a sieve to remove any coarse material, and then packed in bags
which help to exclude the air. The small packages in which it comes upon
the market make handling easy, and this helps to bring it into demand.
Its good physical condition makes even distribution possible, and thus
permits maximum effectiveness to be obtained. It is only slaked lime,
identical in composition and value with lime of the same purity slaked
on the farm, but some dealers have been able to create the impression
that it has some added quality and peculiar power. This does no credit
to the public intelligence, but the hunger of soils for lime is so great
that investment at a price wholly out of proportion to the price of
farm-slaked lime has rarely failed to yield some profit.

_Degree of Purity._ I