The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-01-30
FARMERS COLUMN.
LIME AS A FERTILIZER.

~
lowing interesting details with reference
to lime as fertilizer: @
Let us look at the quantity of lime in
the different crops, and see what estimate
they make of its necessity
The ash of the grain of wheat contains
only three per cent Of lime the ash is
two per cent. of the grain; hence one
hundred pounds of wheat contain only
one ounce of lime twenty-five bushels
Q,500 pounds,) would require about one
pound of lime; the straw for that guam
tity of wheat (say 5000 pounds,) would
require about nine pounds more
The ash of maize contaiHs three per
cent of lime the ash is under 3 per cent.
of the grain, (1.42D so bushels of corn
{S80O lb9 would require 81 ounces OF
lime; the stalks for this amount of corn
(say 1000 lbs) yield 81 per cent of ash,
which contains 1e15 per cent, of lime,
would require % pounds of lime.
The ash of oats contains 4 per cent. of
lime; the ASH is three per cent, of the
grain; so bushels of oats 1880 lbs)
would require 25 ounces of lime; the
straw for this quantity of grain (say 1000
lbs yielding per cent Of lime, would re,
quire pounds of lime.
The ash of rye contains 8 per cent. of
lime; the ash is per cent. of the grain ;
20 bushels of rye (14O0 lbs) would require
30 ounces of lime; the straw for this
quantity of grain (say $500 lbs) yielding
per cent. esh, which contains s per
cent. of lime, would require 10 pounds of
lime. %a
So that an attempt to raise these crops
on worn out lands by the use of large
quantities Of lime would not produce ia
vorable results; they require just. such
articles as the commercial fertilizers con-
taln' viz, superphosphate of lime, potash
and ammonia. An application of { hese
three articles in abundance, with the mod
crate quantity of lime indicated above,
evenly distributed throughout the soil, and
the other subordinate elements of plant
food usually found in soils-chlorine, ST.
hca, magnesia, soda, carbon!c acid, oxide
OF iron-will produce good crops on such
lands, but an excessive application of any
article Of plant food will not produce
good crops under those conditions"
The value of an application of lime is
not always measured, however, by the
quantity of this clement appropriated by
the growing crops. It's chemical actisn
upon other elements, and its mechanical
action upon the soil, not unfrequently
form its chiefest value, as the same writer
proceeds to show:
The ash of red clover is seven per cent.
of the hay this ash contains IS per cent.
of lime in 1000 lbs. of clover hay there
would be the large proportion of so
pounds of lime the ash of white clover
81 per cent. of lime not only contributes
TO the growth of grass and the cereals as
direct fertilizing agent, but by neutral.
izing acids in the soil, effccting the COM
position Of Vegetable matter, it has also
chemical effect another office of lime is
the liberation of nitrogen from organic
substances, thus preparing it for plant
food; by its action On iron pyrites, sui
phurlc acid is produced which unites
with it, forming gypsum. 1t also facili-
tates the decomposition of granite and
telspathic rocks, which are prolific sources
OF potash and soda. With decaying veg
etaDle substances it deeomposes salt
forming carbonate of soda end chloride
OF calcium,and in this latter form is ready
Tor plant food it's chemical activity in
the SOIL by the liberation of gases, ETC.,
necessarily produced aeration and conse.
quent modification Of heavy clay soils; it
also mas tendency to make loose, sandy
SOILS more compact. By its physical eff
1ects Ia these cases, bringing about con.
dltions necessary for the best results in
production. All this is in favor of lime
bat we find in reliable report of exper.
1ments that in the absence of lime, a
certain product weighed $40 grains |; the
result of the application of lime was n.r.
ceptible in the addition of only 80 grains
to this amount, making $40 grains az the