The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-02-10
LIME ON THE FARM.
Properly Applied, 1t Plays an Importar
Role and Is a Valuable Aid.

Role and Is a Valuable Aid.
Lime is much used and very often
at the same time much abused materi-
al on the farm. 1t has very important
role to play, and if handled i'll the prop
er manner is valuable aid to the farm
er. There are many who use this mate.
rial again and again with mistaken
notion as to its true functions in the
soil. These are explained as follows in
The Farm Field and Fireside: While
lime has value as plant food its
greatest worth on the farm is due to its
physical effect on the soil itself. 1t is
very seldom that a soil does not contain
sufficient quantity of lime to furnish
this ingredient as plant food pure and
simple.
Briefly described, the actions of lime
are as follows: If applied on sandy
soil, it fills up the openings, makes the
PARTICLES adhere closer, causes them to
retain moisture better, to absorb less
heat and retain more at night. On clay
soils it separates the PARTICLES, making
the soil more porous, thus easier for the
passage of water and air, and therefore
makes the soil warmer and easier to
work. Lime also hastens the decay OF
vegetable matter i'll the soil, which, Of
course. renders the nitrogen more avail
able. If q soil is sour, an application OF
lime will swceten it. If a green crop Is
plUWvd t..!s,~l, an application of lime
VIII prevent the soil from becoming
acid.
There is one effect of limo that has
10 doubt frequently been noticed, al
though wrong conclusions have been
drawn from it. 1t has often been expe-
ricnced that an application of lime
proves very beneficial to clovers Of all
kinds. 1t was formerly thought that the
lime itself was the only fertilizer needed
fer the clover. 1t is now known, how.
ever, that the beneficial action Of the
lime upon clover is due to the fact that
the lime liberates other plant food i'll
tie soil, notably potash, which is of SO
| much Importance i'll successful clover
culture. twill be seen, however, that
| the continued application Of lime alone
would soon cause the soil to become ex-
Eau,tcd of its natural supply not Only
Of potash, but also of phosphoric acid,
and i'll time the land would become clo-
| Yer sick, which is il condition often met
with. This can be avoided by keeping
up the supply of these two ingredients
| through applications of the cheaper
forms of potash salts and phosphates.
III applying lime it is best to put this
material om il plowed surface, either
| during the fail or early in the spring
before growing season. 1t is unnecessary
| 10 pillow the lime III, as it will soon work
| itself down into the soil. Lime is usual
| l. applied ut the rate Of one to three
| tons at Il time, and once in every six
years Is generally sufficient. Some pre-
| fer to use smaller quantities at more
frequent intervals and claim to get bet
| ter results. Limo should never be mixed
with acid phosphate or ammoniated fer
| filters, as it viii make the phosphorio
, acid less soluble and drive off the am
, monia. The best results are obtained
! from lime when the soil is kept we'll
| supplied with the mineral ingredients,
| rhn>phorIc acid and potash. The nitro
s,cu can lie furnished by growing clover
| III FtaS This Is Il rational and econom-
| seal plan to follow and will gradually
increase the productive capacity of any
| so!i.