Middletown transcript., 1895-11-30
LIME AS A FERTILIZER.

LIME AS FERTILIZER.
If we study the composition of plants
we find that lime is the most import
ant part of the mineral elements of
nearly every one. And it is to be re-
membered that in the growth of plants
every element found in them is indis-
pensible. But how much more must
it be so-if such thing were possible,
for one element to be more indispeusi-
BILE taan another-for lime, which ex-
lists in such large proportion, to be
anything but indispensable. And this
must be thought SO as we consider that
in the ash of hay one eight part is
lime; in the ash of clover more than a
third of it is lime; in the ash of potato
tops nearly one half is lime. The ashes
of wood, which we think so valuable
on account of the potash in them. have
several times more lime than potash.
the lime amounting to from 80 to 20
per cent. And there is not one plant
grown that has not lime in it's ashes.
The same applies to potash and phos-
phoric acid, and reasonably these are
supposed to be food for plants; why,
then, is not lime plant foodl Surely
it must be so considered. Thus writes
that excellent authority, Henry Stew
art, in The American Agriculturist.
He also is authority for the following:
The best farm localities in the world
are those where the soil contains
large proportion of lime, being derived
from the decomposition of limestone
rocks. But it not so much on account
of the lime in the soil that the land is
SO well farmed and so productive. but
mostly for the reason that the lime be-
ing there abundant and cheap, the
farmers burn the limestone and make
lime, and apply it TO the land. Lime
only is plant food, but limestone is
not, and the soil may be well filled with
limestone and yet be quite poor. Now
lime is very active chemical SUBJ
stance. This will be seen if some of
it is put in some vinegar. This. will
foam up and boil over the cup, and a
large quantity of gas will be evolved.
In the end there will be no more acid |
in the vinegar. And this is one effect |
of lime on soil that is sour. such as
swamp land, in which the excess of |
acid prevents the growth of any useful |
plants.
If we put some lime on a dead ami
NAL or on any other organic matter, it
will quickly decompose it and reduce it |
to its original elements, and this is one
effect of lime when used in a compost
the matters thus decomposed then be-
coming good manure and useful food
for plants. And this same effect is pro-
duced in the soil when quicklime is ap-
piled, as it usually is in the fall when
the land is prepared for wheat and grass
and clover seeding. But the chemist
may take some sand or other mineral
matter and mix lime with it, and then
add water, and the lime will dissolve
quite considerable quantity of this
mineral matter, forming silicate of
lime, and by taking the silica from the
potash, or the phosphate, or magnesia-
or the alumina, etc., that the soil is
made up of, the lime renders these ele-
ments of plant food soluble and avail
able for the crops.
Now this is small part of the nat
ural history of lime, as it it used in
good farming, And with such a his
tory we must realize it's value to the
farmer, quite independently of the fact
whether it is actually in plant food
or not. And as the season is approach
ng when the land is in the best condi-
ion for the application of lime, as lime
IS most soluble in cold water, and the ,
wheat crop is most convenient for it.
It is question for all US if it is not
advisable to so use it, and gather til 9 |
'ruits of its good effects on the soil,
The freshly burned lime only is used ,
ind 20 to 40 bushels per acre is the u.s.
lal quantity. 1t is left in heaps in the
ield, preferably Of one bushel each, two a
ods apart, and in few days it falls to
. fine powder by the action of the moist
ire of the air, or shower of rain.
vhen it easily spread quite evealy-so as
o just whiten the surface-with a long ]
landled shovel. But when lime is h
hus used for the wheat, it is not advis- n
BILE to use superphosphate until the
pring. 1t can then be used to advan-
age.