The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-20
Lime on SoiI-It,s Value

The Rhode Island Station has for a
number of years been making a study of
the effects produced by lining an acid
soil. The effects of lime on the growth
of great many plants had been studied
and the results given at various times
The present bulletin is continuation of
these results from experiments begun in
1898 and continued 20 the present time
These experiments have aroused a wide
spread interest among soil investigators
and the results in many cases are of i'm
portance to the practical cultivator. Like
quantities of phosporic acid and potash
have been applied annually to the plats,
in the form of muriate of potash and dis
solved bone black. Each plat has also
had like quantities of nitrogen, but the
form on some plats has been nitrate OF
soda and on others the sulphate of am
monia. Since 1896 the amount of nitrogen
used has been but one-third as great as
in previous years. Sulphate of magnesia
has been applied annually to each of the
plats since 1894. the first season at the
rate of 200 pounds per acre and each sub
sequent year at the rate of 400 pounds per
acre. Air Stacked lime was applied in
1893 to one of the nitrate of soda plats
at the rate of 800 pounds per acre, and
another application at the rate of LOCO
pounds per acre was made in the Spring
OF 1854, ana none Since. AlOSl Ol tlC pidlS
are in fruit trees and the statement OF
results with these is deferred.
The Orange ounce. Black Tartarian
cherry and the Burbank plum have been
helped by lime in a striking degree. Nor
way spruce did better without lime. Rhu-
barb, among the garden plants, was help
ed by the lime. In one season the nitrate
of soda seemed best, but the next year
the sulphate of ammonia was ahead. Lime
was very helpful to hemp in its growth
Whether the fiber was affected or not was
not determined. With Concord grapes
there was a smaller yield on the lined
plat with nitrate of soda. but larger on
the plat where sulphate of ammonia was
used. Blackberries found sulphate of am
monia better that nitrate of soda. Wheth-
er lime helps them or not is, as yet, I'M
certain. Lime was of great value on as
paragus, and nitrate of soda was the best
form of nitrogen. Black cap raspberries
found lime of uncertain value, but liked
the suphate of ammonia best. Rep rasp-
berries were helped by lime, and here,
too, sulphate was best. Currants were
helped by lime and nitrate of soda was
best. Barley was decidedly better with
lime and nitrate of soda was best in the
last season, though little difference was
seen before. Oats were helped by lime,
but less than wheat or barley. Spring
rye gave conflicting results and can do
well on a sour soil. Spring wheat does
best on lined land. and preferred nitrate
of soda. Cowpeas are better without
lime Serradella, formerly injured by lime,
has now been helped by it. This plant
does we'll on an acid soil and If lime IS
used it should be a few years in "a
vance. Carrots stand in great need Of
lime, and do not prefer one form of nt-
trogen to another. Mangels are largely
benefited by lining, and prefer nitrate
of soda.
Chickory likes lime and sulphate of am
monia. Onions have been helped in re-
markable degree by lining. They have
also shown that nitrogen in the form of
nitrate of soda is the best for them. Eng
lish turnips have been moderately helped
by Lining and have given the best re-
suits where nitrogen was applied in the
form of nitrate of soda. Flax has dem
onstrated its ability to succeed on an I'M
lined acid soil. and as has been observed
in the case of certain other plants exhit-
ing similar characteristics, 1t has succeed
ed best when nitrogen was applied in the
form of sulphate of ammonia. The eff
feet Of lining on the quality of the fiber
was not determined. Sweet peas were
helped by lining, and nitrate of soda was
the best form of nitrogen. Balsams were
helped by lining and succeeded better
where nitrogen was furnished in nitrate
of soda than in the sulphate OF am
monia. Shirley peoples responded won
derfully to lining, and nitrate of soda
proved decidedly better for them than the
sulphate of ammonia. The Early Rich
mond cherry, American linden and Amer
lean elm are decidedly helped by an APP
plication of lime. though not in so great
a degree as the Orange ounce, the Black
Tartarian cherry or the japan plums The
result with the peoples was particularly
striking. On the unlimed plat with sui
phate of ammonia there were no bios
SONS a. all, while on the lined plat with
the sulphate there were 5Oa blooms, and
on the lined nitrate of soda plat there
were 31l3 blossoms, striking evidence
both of the value of lime and the su-
periority of the nitrate as source of nj
trogen.