The oasis., 1893-07-06
ACTION OF LIME IN THE SOIL.
[From the Los Angeles rImes.I


 effects upon the soil as well as upon the growth of crops. Everything that is found in plants that is mineral in it's character must necessarily come from the soil, and as the largest pro portion of the mineral parts of plants which is left as ash when the plant is burned is lime. this necessarily must be derived from the lime existing in the soil And whatever is taken from the soil by plants Is plant food. Then lime must be a food for plants.
 All fertile soils contain lime to greater or less extent. But it is mostly in an insoluble condition and therefore unavailable as food for crops. Consequently it is necessary to apply lime as q plant food or fertil- izer when the soil happens to be deficient in 1t in a soluble and avail able condition. But it only acts as a nutriment for the crops as far as the soil is deficient in 1t. II is never a stimulant, that is. something that excitcs unusual and unnatural stim- ulus. and forces an unnatural growth. And this for this reason: All plants need several substances to make a healthful and natural growth. as potash. ph0sphoric acid and nitrogen. chiefly, with many other less inipor- tant substances found in soils of all kinds; less important because they are not required to such a large extent, and are generally abundant, as soda, magnesis. etc. And, if one Of these more important substances Is wanting, no no possible surplus of any or all of the others can make up for the deficiency. but the crop will not make satisfactory growth. Every element of growth must be present or the crops will not grow Thus there can be no stimulants used for fertili- gers, and the only way in which any one special element can be useful at all Is when it is deficient. and must be supplied 10 make up the deficiency.
 The effectsof lime in the soilare then first Co supply the demands of the crops. Second. it has the effect by chemical action well known and under stood. to dissolve other minerals ia the soil existing in an insoluble con- dition. as potash and phosphoric acid; and thus makes these available as plant food. Third. it exerts another etfeUt on organic matter in the soil by decomposing it and developing the nitrogen in it and forming compounds with this element of plant food, and thus makes this inert organic matter available for the crops. Fourth lt has mechanical effect in making the l soil more open in texture when the 1 land is clay and imperyious to air and | moisture; and more compact and less porous when 1t is sandy and too per [ yious to moisture.
 It is easy to perceive how all these | effects are useful Co the growth of crops, and how lime acts, not as a | stimulant, but as a direct plant food | on one hand and as suppler of plant | food on the other. For these reasons lime iS indispensable for the fertility | of the soil, and that it may act in all ! these diffcrant ways it is necessary to | supply it in much larger quantities | than the plants actually aeed for their direct use as nutrimcni To have the dc fred effect in fitting the land fer large gop b. changing its1 mechanical. conaisicn, md f3 lecor.- poes the large quantity ot organic