The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-03-15
Indian River Notes and Notions :
No. vi.
LATENT LIME.

Lime enters more or less largely
into the composition of many COM
mercial fertilizers and in his form it
is sold in lar .e quantities at from
thirty five to fifty dollars per ton {;
but lime is quoted in the Jacksonville
market at $50 per ton, and Mr.. j.
E. Hart recently told the readers OF
The AGRICULTURIST that q ton or
the "Stockbride Orange" contains
220 pounds of lime. Some brands
contain even more than that. j es,
says some wise one, knew they
put in lime to make it heavy. But
the case is even worse than that. In
The AGRICULTURIsT OF December
2lst, Mr.. Hart gives as the total of
ammonia, lhnsphoric acid, potash
and lime, 495 pounds.
These are all the ingredients for
whcr any value is claimed, leaving
5O5 pounds of worthless trash.
We hear another wise one say, "you
can't fool me. l don't buy dirt; |
let the fools do that" The facts in
the case, at the first glance, look as
though this man was not far from
right. The best brands of CONNER,
cial fertilizers have in their compost
Llon about three tonrths, both Of bulk
and weight. ingredients that have
little if any value as fertilizers. These
facts seem to justify the inquiry often
made: why not buy the valuable
part of fthese manures aud put in the
worthless parts to make up the bulk
yourself; or, why buy lime at fifty
dollars ton when you can get plenty
of it at seven and halt dollars p"
Such a course certainly would save
freight if it were practicable. But it
is not practicable. These ingredients
liz pure state are too costly Ior fer
tilizers, hence, they must be sought
in combinations that are both cheap
and abundant. Take, for instance.
phosphoric acid. Pure phosphoric
acid may be seen as a solid and a
liquid Glacial phospboric acid. as
its name indicates, resembles ice in
appearance. 1t is hard, transparent,
and Intensely sour. The liquid is
clear, coIorless and of syrupslike dep
sity. In the pure state, besides being
too expensive for plant food it is a
Dlant poison. But in other forms.
and in various combinations, it is
food for plant. Every plant must
have it, Ii this ingredient is wanting
the plant will languish and finally
die. The supply if so important a
factor in plant life is of the utmost
Importance TO every planter.
Bones are the most common source
of supply. But bones are not phos>
phoric acid. About third of
their weight is gluten, which In de.
composition produces ammonia, while
the remaining two~thirds is phosphate
of lime. Even this is not phosphoric
acid, but is made up of phosphoric
acid and lime in about the proportion
OF six to seven. Therefore, in 100
pounds OF bone there are about thirty
one pounds phosphoric acid, thirty
six pounds OF lime and thirty-lhree
pounds of gluten. But phosphate of
lime is not plant food. All plant
food must be soluble in water, but
water won't dissolve bones, either In
their natural state or after they are
burned.
The phosphoric acid is so securely
locked up in combination with lime
that water cannot touch it. This
combination must be broken up and
another formed that can be dissolved
by water. This is done by the use
OF sulphuric acid. If burned bones
bone ash-bone earth or phosphate
OF lime (tor all these phrases mean