The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-03-02
MMa 80
SSWV
" 1874
Lime and Salt on Land.

lows concerning lllV anu o"A0 "
land. AS there is some inquiry be
ing made in this locality about lime
we publish the letter complete;
"'There can be little doubt nov
that most of the cotton lands OF tn
South would be materially and per
manently improved by the applica
ton of lime. This fertilizer has 0eel
in general use in Europe for many
centuries, and at The North Its ust
has of late greatly increased. From
the many inquiries on the suPJec'
there appears to be a desire among
the enterprising farmers of our sec
ton to know more about the means
of application-its action upon the
land. and the classes OF soil that need
it most.
AT the North and in Europe,
where lime is largely used, at the
rate Of fifty to one hundred bushels
per acre, it is generally applied by
means of machine made for the
purpose, drawn by one or two horses,
which distributes it broadcast and
evenly. The use of such machinery
is necessary in lining large fields,
as the caustic action OF the mineral is
SO painful to the hands that labofers
will not handle and scatter a large
quantity. Wherever there are farmers
in the South who are able, and de-
sire to apply as much as fifty bushels
per acre over large areas OF land, it
will repay them to obtain the
machine needed from some manufac-
turer North. But where it is in
tended that only about ten or twelve
bushels are to be applied per acre,
the simplest and most practicable
way is to put it down in the turrow,
through the common phosphate dis
tributer.
The actions OF lime upon the soil
and its contents are manifold. 1t
mixes with heavy adhesive clay lands,
and renders them frable; less apt,to
be baked by the sun; more readily
permeated by moisture, and more
easily worked. On account of its
great attractions for moisture it
renders land, that is supplied with it,
more able to withstand drought than
RI , ID u Is Az alm9St devoid ct il
It's action upon the contents OF the
soil are that it neutrallzes all ACID
enbstances which naturally exist IN
bottom lands and old fields; and 1t
hastens the decomposition OF all or,
oanic and vegetable matters, and
renders them more quickly and THOR
ouohly available as plant food. In
order to obtain the full effects OF lime
nnon the land, the animal OF Vege-
table manure must be there, upon
which it can act. Many OF our iarm-
ers have fields grown over with CRAB
grass, or COW pea vines, ana Ii they
Will turn over such vegetation our-
inc the early winter with good two
horse piow, and Then apply ten or
twelve bushels Of lime per acre III the
drills next spring, they will hnd the
result will repay them handsomely
for all expense and trouble
In using lime care must be taken
that it be not applied at me same
time with guano, as 1t VIII set lree
the ammonia contained Ill the latter
and render it almost valueleSs. bu'
of4er il has been in the soil month
or so it's action as solvent ceases
"a = becomes converted into pure
chalk; and then guano can be safely
and beneticially used
The quantity OF lime needed PEI
ocr4 necessarily varies with the char
acter of the soil. A much large
quantity can be profitably used npol
land that contains much vegetable o
animal matter than that which con
1aips little. Heavy applications arr
needed upon stiff cLays, rich bottoms
and mulatto soils, while thin sand!
lands require lighter. The very poor
est lands now cultivated III coC'o
should. however, receive not les
than six or seven bushels per acre
Generally throughout the oouo
lime can be purchased at aoouC d
cents per bushel, and thus such
MINIMUM application would cost .
per acre . into =
soil in All unslacked condition, becan'
in the process Of Stacking it aOsor r.
ram The atmosphere Il conslderao
quantity of carbonic acid gas a 9
mat is an important ana essenVi
stimulant to young plants; ana al u
saule time it swells and disntegrat
tive soil, and renders it more eaSl