The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-08-14
LIME AND FERTILIZERS.
~. Of the Proeressive Farmer.

Cor. of the Progressive Farmer.
The subject of notification in soils
well stored with organic matter is n
of absorbing interest to all ~cultivators
of the soils. We must distinguish be-
tween ~nitrification in soils well filled
with humus and the fixation of nitrates
by means of the symbolic organisms
in certain nodules on the roots OF legu-
minous plants. Only one form Is en-
gagged in this work, while the ordinary
n~itrifcation in a fertile soil is carried
on by three distinct organisms. The
first carries the process only to b
formation of Ammonia. The second
form changes the ammonia into nitrate
and the third forms nitrates, the only
form apparently in which %nitrogren is
used by the roots of green plants. Now
it has been found that In a soil abound
ing in humus or vegetable mold, nltrl,
fcation is always most active in the
presence of a plentiful supply of car
Donate of lime, and this has recently
been demonstrated to be due to the
fact that these organisms take their
carbon from the carbonate of lime,
The greatest value from this nitrifica-
ton comes in when there is abundant
potash at hand, and the nitrogen is
fixed as a nitrate of potash. This comes
in as a constant accompaniment of
the nitrogen fixing by the root organ
isms of legumlnosae. And herein con-
sists the great value Of these plants
such as clover and COW peas, the cap
turing as it were without cost the nitro
gen of the air, instead of buying it at
high rates in fertilizers. But it must
be remembered that clover and peas
are greedy consumers of potash and
USE more lime than most other plants.
In an experiment made eight or ten
years ago to test the value of different
forms of lime on clover, we applied to
adjoining fields water Stacked lime
and plaster or sulphate Of lime.
The same money value of each was
used, but far the larger quantity per
acre of the Stacked lime. The field
where the lime was used had had a
crop of peas plowed under two years
before; the other field had been an old
sod on which a small grain crop had
been sown, to seed the clover with.
Both fields gave good results, but that
n where the lime was applied
was remarkable. 1t was a steep,
rocky, upland field of only mod
crate fertility, but I had a ranker
growth of clover on that rocky hill
than on a fertile bottom near by. Lime
is really Of little use as plant food
direct. ALI of the cultivatable soils
have in them all the lime essential for
plants, but by the liberal use of lime
we are moi only enabled to unlock plant
food existing in an insoluble state in
the soil, but we are enabled to get bet
ter results from the use of the cheaper
mineral forms of fertilizers than we
could get with complete and high
priced fertilizers without the help of
the lime. Thus by using literally dis
solved s. @. rock phosphate and some
form Of potash we al get a good
growth of clover. Lime added to the
surface on the young clover will rap
idly promote the nitrogen fixing and
the growth of the clover too, and when
the clover sod is broken, the presence
of the lime carbonate is an active as
sistant in the nitrifying procese in de-
caying organic matter. We do not ap
prove the blowing under of a crop of
peas and clover ordinarily, as the crop
on a fairly fertile soil is worth more for
feed than for manure. But if on a soil
barren of vegetable matter. we have
gotten by means of fertilizers a good
growth Of clover or peas, it may pay
to plow under the whole growth in
such a soil. If this is done, a dressing
of lime at the rate of not less than 80
bushels per acre should at once be
added, not only to actively promote
nitriication, but to prevent an injurious
acetous fermentation. There will be
little danger from this source if the
crop is not plowed under until mature.
Mr. Ruf1n, of Virginia, used to limit
the region where lime would pay to
the section Of his State where the lob
Jolly pine was the ''old field" growth,
but 1 found it profitable up at the foot
of the Blue Ridge, where no loblolly
grows. The use of lime in connection
with acid phosphate and kainit, and
the growing of clover and other legumes
by their help is to be the farm practice
of the future for all who wish to do the
best for soil and crops at the same time.