The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-08-05
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 a 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 arc as familiar
with lime, phosphates, mari, fish and other
appliances as the Western farmer is with
the common manure pile.
If we except barnyard manure, lime is
the most powerful, the most important, fer
tiliZing agent we are acquainted with.
The precise nature of its action upon the
soil IS not we'll understood. 1t is general
ly believed, however, that it furnishes d.
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 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. 1t
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 fcrtil
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 NJ
difficulty. 1t must be we'll burned, re
ducedto as fine state as possible, sown OF
the plowed soil and narrowed in. The re
duction to fine state is accomplished by
Stacking it with water, and this should no
be done until the ground is ready to re
ceive it. Airslacked lime is not near 81
fine, and, besides, when it is exposed to thu
air thus for a 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 application
are to be avoided. 1t is better TO put on
little and put it on often than to give over
doses at long intervals. Light soils re
quire less quantity than heavy, cold o
sour soils. twenty five bushels per acr
for the former, running upto fifty and lO
bushels for the latter, are sufficient IN al
most anv case.-OhiO Farmer.