The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-03-27
Lime-Its Action on the Soil.
Lime and its ccmpounds are ve

| Lime and its compounds are very
abundant in nature. At it is cheap and
easily obtained it has long been used as
a manure, and yet opinions rs to its val.
ue have varied greatly, owing to the dis.
similarity Of soils and the manner of its
use. Prof. Puryear, in the -dmerican
farmcr, makes some very appropriate
suggestions on the subject to show the
functions Of lime in vegetable growth,
and to explain why in some cases it sat.
isiies and in others disappoints the hopes
of the farmer.
Lime is fonnd in the ashes of all plants.
In some, il is quite large and essential
portion. AS it is taken up by plants
from the soil only, its presence in some
form is necessary i'll all fertile soils.
Cacined or burnt lime has very calls,ic
properties, and when in contact with
vegetable or mineral matter tends to dis.
organize and TO hasten decomposition
II we wrap up lump of lime in news
paper or in piece Of cloth, we will find
in short time that the cloth or paper
wilitno hold together-it falls to pieces
1T is rotten as we say. So nso in tam
ming, the ,hairjs easily rubbed from hides
that have been stepped in solution of
lime.
In agriculture we make use of this
property of lime to hasten the decompo.
sltion Of vegetable matter. When q
heavy sod is turned under, or n heavy
crop OF peas, the application Of lime is
always e'!icncious. 1t may perform both
the functions we have attributed to it,
that is, ii may act both as plant food it.
self and also rot tho vegetable matter,
which is valuable only rs it rots. When
both these objects are accomplished the
good effects of the application Of lime
will be strikingly conspicuous. Tho
! farmer will be exG!taut III tho result and
enthusiastic i'll its praise. The final is
su", however, may sbate the ar:.o- Of his
zeal Perhaps may turn his praise into
malediction. Let us see. Encouraged
by tho good results he continues the ap-
plication. The natural deficiency Of the
soil in lime is satisfied-is more than sat-
sfed. Hence the lime will cease to sup
ply want, and one of the good effects
produced by the first application will
therefore vanish. But more. Limo has
| done 80 we'll that he thinks its continued
| application all that is necessary to his
| continued success. Perhaps he cultivates
his land every year, removes the crop
i
crop Of grass. Dazed by success he
| now falls into damaging conclusion.
| Again let us sec. There is no thick sod,
no matted vines to be turned under
Still he puts OH the lime, but the soil
! now has lime enough, and there is but
little vegetable matter TO be decomposed
by the action of the lime. The two
prime conditions, under which tho lime
| acted 30 we'll, are now both absent, of
| course the good results do not appear
| and there is disappointment.
Indeed, there are cases where the ap-
| plication of lime is positively injurious.
| When the soil has lime enough, and
there il very little vegetable matter to be
Il composed, it might then net injurious
y. Lime, in such case, would cause
the too rapid decomposition of the small
amount Of organic matter in tho soil,
using it up before the crop Is fully ma
tured. Again, We may say in this con-
nection that the mixing Of lime with the
| natural guanos or tho eXcrements of our
domestic animals il always Injurious.
Ii we take piece Of muriate of ammo.
MIA Ia compound of muriatic acid and
ammonia) and triturate it in q mortar
with little caustic lime, the pungent
odor at once perceived indicates the es-
cape of that most valuable gas, ammo
MIA. The lime has combined with the
acid and ammonia is set free rs n gas,
which, being lighter than the air. rises
and escapes. Now, the excremen;s of
animals contain salts of ammonia, and
limo mixed with them sets free in the
same way the gas ammonia, which gives
to those fertilizers their chief value.
Lime sometimes performs another i'm.
portant function. It corrects tho acidity
Of soils, just as wo use it to correct the
acidity of the stomach. In the language
Of chemistry, acids and alkalies are anti.
podal in their effects and relations
When an acid combines with base q
new compound is formed which has, rs q
general statement, none of the proper
ties of either of its constituents. When
lime, an alkali, combines with an acid, q
neutral salt is formed having the proper.
ties neither of the acid nor the lime.
Now soils are frequently sour from the
presence of vegetable acids. Soils per.
manently wet are always sour, because
the water excludes the atmosphere, and
so prevents the complete decomposition
OF the vegetable MISTER. Vegetable
acids, under such circumstances, arc
formed, which undergo only partial de.
composition in consequence Of the ex'
clusion by water of the oxygen of the
atmosphere. These acids are injurious
to the crops we generally cultivate. The
only permanent remedy is thorough
drainage, by which we get rid of the ex
cess Of water, and 80 the soil shrinks anc
cracks, air finds access, the organic mat
ter Is completely, decomposed and sc
these acids are no longer formed. Wher
marsh is drained, therefore, the atmos
phere itself would correct the acidity o
the soil, but not at once. We wish tc
get the benefit the first year of the ex
pense incurred in draining. The appli
cation Of lime will surely accomplish
this result, combining with and neutral
izing the free acids as it sinks through
the soil, and, Mt tho same time, decom
posing the large amount Of vegetable
matter which has been SO long accumu
lating in such localities.