The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-27
LIME AS A FERTILIZER.
MAI. RIVALS CONSIDERS 1T VALUA-
BILE IN PLANT PRODUCTION.


Farmers in This section Have Used
1t Extensively This Yenr--Its Value
in Renovating and Improving
Worn Out Soils-Its Beneficial Eff
fects Lasting and Permanent--HiGh
Price Has Hitherto Prevented Its
Use-Its Present Use in the Nature
of an Experiment., But Farmers
Think 1t VIII BE Successful.
The truck farmers of Chatham county
and the state generally have put into use
this year fertilizing material which has
served to tighten and strengthen soils for
many centuries, and which has been for
years extensively employed in some parts
of this country, but which, for some rea-
son, has never before found favor in the
eyes of the farmers of this section. This
new fertilizer is lime.
Maj. G. NJ. Ryals, who this year has
used large quantities Of lime on his truck
farm in this county and on his peach or
chards in Worth, has become enthusiastic
over the benefits he expects will accrue
TO the soils from the application of this
ing News reporter his views or some of
them on the subject, Il have been faml-
lar with the use of lime as fertilizer
since my early boyhood,' said Maj. Ryals,
as among the farmers of my native
state, Virginia, 1t is considered indispensa-
lime from oyster shells, while The inhabl-
tants of the inland country burn the lime
stone rock that is there found in great
abundance. The prevailing soil in that
state is of clay formation and the use of
some material that will tighten the lands
and decrease the tendency to puddle Is
essential to successful agriculture. This
function lime admirably performs, and it
is but one of its good qualities"
las is well known, lime has the property
of neutralizing acids, and on account of
this property it is frequently used in cor
recting the acidity of what are termed
sour soils, which contain large amounts OF
vegetable matter and which owe their
acdity to the presence of certain organic
acids Soils of this character frequently
yield a profuse vegetable growth, and the
crop has a tendency to run to weed, as it
is termed, while at the same time failure
to fruit well is noticed. Applications of
lime to such soils remove the sourness at
least. in part, check the rank growth and
improve the fruting capacity of the
plants
Lime is the most important mineral
constituent of plants, the ashes of plants
being composed principally of calcium car
Donate With the growth OF plant hte
| these structural elements are removed
from the soil and must be replaced IN some
manner. if the yield is expected to be uni
form. The application Of lime replaces in
| the soil the clements that are removed
| from il by the growth of vegetation and
| no other fertilzng material has been
| found that will take its place or lnduce
such marked and permanent improve
ment. The benefit derived from the use
| of lime is not temporary only out Is con-
| tinuous and one application in hve years
will generally. suffice," -. Ill.,.
zone great advantage OF the use OF lime
lie its chemical activity, by which other
| fertilizing elements, present in the sou IN
| an inactive condition, are rendered solu-
| ble and fitted for the production of plant
| growth. It also improves the physical con-
| dition of the soil, rendering it more porous
| and in consequence more easily TILED and
| drained Lands that are well drained nave
| a higher soil temperature than those
which are damp and 'puddiy' ana IN
| creased soil temperature makes for In
for the purpose of renovating and making
| fertile WORKOUT lands lime is an indispen>
sable element. adding as it does to the
soil a new and permanent constituent, that
changes it's character and is as durable
as the land itself"
."The obstacles that have operated in the
mast TO prevent the use of lime have been
its comparative high price and the preva-
lent opinion that to be effective it must be
used in large quantities. The first objec-
tion has been removed by the reduction
| in the cost of the fertilizer and the last
has been shown to be erroneous. From
twenty to fifty bushels per acre, spread
broadcast over the land, will generally
produce as good results as the application
of larger quantity. I am myself firmly
convinced of its effectiveness and am de-
terrnined to give a thorough trial. Many
other farmers in this section hold the same
views. and this year are applying lime
to their lands. We all expect that it will
increase their fertility and effect a lasting
Improvement"
NHoTo An linn