Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-08-13
Applying Lime To Land.

Frequent inquiries on this subject lead
| us to infer that many of our readers have
never applied lime to their soil in any
shape. They are, however, awakening to
the importance of special applications OF
this kind, and are seeking the information
necessary to their intelligent use. The
use of special fertilizers is travelling across
the continent-like the Colorado potato
bug, only in the opposite direction, and
more slowly. 1t comes, as matter OF
course, as the virgin soil becomes ex.
hausted, and the means hitherto used fail
of accomplishing the object. Compare
| lively few of the farmers west OF the Allie
ghenies have ever used anything but barn
yard manure, but east of that line, and
| especially in the exhausted lands nearer
the Atlantic coast, they are as familiar
with lime, phosphates, mari, fish and other
appliances as the Western farmer is with
the common manure pile.
Ii we except barnyard manure, lime is
the most powerful, the most important, fer
tillzlng agent we are acquainted with.
The precise nature of its action upon the
soil is notwell understood. 1t is general
ly believed, however, that it furnishes di-
rect food, and acts chemically upon the
soil, decOmposing and rendering the mat
ter of which it is composed available for
plant food Lime is found in VARYING pro-
portions in all cultivated crops, and these
proportions are visibly affected by the
character of the soil, the same plant in
different soils showing a marked difference
in the quantity it contains. All cultivated
soils, perhaps, contain lime in sufficient
quantity to meet the wants of crops, if the
amount present in plants were all that
were necessary. But the fact that burned
lime and plaster of Paris have been found
as useful upon limestone land as upon any
other sufficiently demonstrates that its
chemical action is of vastly more impor-
lance than the supplying of this element OF
its growth.
Whether lime would be useful upon soil
or not must generally be ascertained by
trial. We believe, with very rare excep-
tons, no mistake will be made in apply
ing 1t in proper quantities, and therefore
the test can be made without fear of evil
consequences. Where land is naturally
sour, lime is the specific in every case. On
heavy clay soils its action is excellent. Ii
renders them friable and more easily
worked. On lands containing undecom-
posed organic matter an application OF
lime is always in order for reasons before
stated. Reclaimed swamps and lowlands
are examples of land containing much un-
decomposed matter, and where lime is
particularly valuable. Dry, sandy soils
are benefited because it renders them more
compact and better able to retain moisture
1t not only decomposes dead matter but il
kills and transforms into valuable fertil
izer the living insects in which most soils
abound. In short, lime is almost as uni
versally useful agent as even the time
honored barnyard manure itself
In regard to its application there is nc
difficulty. 1t must be well burned, re
duced to as fine a state as possible, sown on
the plowed soil and narrowed in. The re
duction to a fine state is accomplished by
Stacking it with water, and this should not
be done until the ground is ready to re.
ceive it. Air-slacked lime is not near Sc
fine and, besides, when it is exposed to the
air thus for length of time it is rendered
far less active by the carbonic acid which
it absorbs from the atmosphere.
The amount to be applied is variable
quantity. AS a rule, heavy applications
are to be avoided 1t is better to put on a
little and put it on often than to give over
doses at long intervals. Light soils re-
quire less quantity than heavy, cold or
sour soils. twenty-five bushels per acre
for the former, running upto fifty and 100
bushels for the latter, are sufficient in al
most any case.-Ohs0 Farmer.