Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-01-08
LIME ON The FARM.
Properly Applied, It Plays an Important
Role aud Is Valuable Aid.

Properly Applied, It Plays an Important
Role aud Is Valuable Aid.
Lime is much used and very often
at the same time much abused materi-
al ON the farm. TX has very important
role to play, and if handled in the prop
err manner is a valuable aid to the farm
er. There are many who use this mate
rial again and again with q 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 10 its
physical effect on the soil itself Ii is
very seldom that soil does not contain
a 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 ellis 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 in the soil, which, of
course. renders the nitrogen more avail
able. If soil is sour, an application of
lime will sweeten it. If green crop is
plowed under, an application of lime
will prevent the soil from becoming
acid.
There is one effect of lime that has
no doubt frequently been noticed, al
though wrong conclusions have been
drawn from it, 1t has often been expe-
rienced that an application of lime
proves very beneficial to clovers of all
kinds. 1t was formerly thought that tho
lime itself was the only fertilizer needed
for 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 in
the soil, notably potash, which is of SO
much Importance i'll successful clover
culture. 1t will be seen, however, that
the continued application of lime alone
would soon cause the soil to become ex-
hausted of it's natural supply not Only
of potash. but also of phosphoric acid,
and in time the land would become clo-
yer sick. which is 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.
In applying lime it is best to put this
material ON plowed surface, either
during the fall or early in the spring
before growing season. 1t is unnecessary
to pillow the lime in, as it will soon work
itself down into the soil. Lime is usual
~ applied at the rate of one to three
tons at 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 Lime should never be mixed
with acid phosphate or ammoniated fer
tilizers, as it will make the phosphoric
acid less soluble and drive off the am
monia The best results are obtained
from lime when the soil is kept well
supplied with the mineral ingredients,
phosphoric acid and potash. The nitro
gen can be furnished by growing clover
or peas. This is rational and econom-
ical plan to follow and will gradually
increase the productive capacity of any
SOIL