The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-07-09
FARMERAND PLANTER.
LIME NOT A FERTILIZER.
AZ Is, However, Indispensable TO
Plant Growth, Hut Must lie
tssu Judicisusly.

Lime is absolutely indispensable to
plant growth, yet ii is required in com
paratiyely small amounts. Our cereal
crops, for instance, contain about two
pounds of phosphoric acid and three
pounds of potash for every pound Of
lime, while all soils except the clear
sand contain much more lime than
phosphoric acid, and al least as much
lime as potash. The abundance of lime
is shown in the fact that water which
has been for any length of time in
contact with the soil is always hard;
but only n grain Of lime to the gal
Ion Of water, a quantity that could not
be detected under ordinary conditions,
would supply twice the amoun Of
lime needed by a clover crop, which is
the only one of our ordinary farm
crops that contains as much lime as
potash.
Lime, however, serves other pur-
poses than as simple plant food. One
of the most important of these is The
correction of acidity in the soil. When
a soil becomes acid, clover will not
thrive upon ii and when this condi.
ton occurs an application of lime may
be necessary, a point thoroughly DEM
e%nstrated at the Ohio experiment sta
ton, where a luxuriant crop of clover
has been grown on lined land, while
the clover on unlimed land along side
was a complete failure.
Lime performs still another import
ant function in liberating plant food
already in the soil. If a little lime be
mixed with strong manure, such as hen
manure, an odor of ammonia will be-
come apparent. This means that the
lime is liberating the ammonia from
the anu and that 1t is escaping in
to the air. If lime be mixed with the
soil similar action will take place. IT
a crop be growing upon the soil Il may
absorb part of the escaping ammonia
and u larger crop is made at the eX.
penSe of the soil stores of plant food
and if these are not maintained by ma
LuiAhS VI { bAll&Ib5 NhV sui Will SpOli
refuse to respond to line, because all
the material in it upon which lime can
act has been drawn out and the soil 1a
poorer than If no lime had been used.
European farmers who have used
lime for many years have become 30
convinced of its injurious effect when
used in this way that they say lime
enriches the father but impoverishes
the son." and it is customary in some
places to prohibit the use of lime in
leasing land. .
Some of those who have lime to sell
in Ohio are advertising it as a fertiliz-
err, claiming that 1t is better and
cheaper than phosphate" But the Ohio
experiment station would earnestly
warn all farmers against using lime as
a substitute for manure OF fertilizers,
When used as an adjunct to liberal ma
nuring or fertilizing, lime may be used
to perform a most important service,
but its use as q substitute for manure
or fertilizer means ruin to the soil, .
Where clover Is failing to grow the
use of lime is indicated. For this pur-
pose the common quicklime is all that
Is required. A very convenient form Of
lime is made in some parts Of the state
by grinding quick-lime into a coarse
meal. This can be applied with the
fertilizer drill or the manure spreader.
using about 1000 pounds per acre. 1t
costs $3.50 to $3.50 per ton at the
kilns. 1t must not be expected that
lime alone will bring prosperity to the
clover crop. In the Ohio stations eX-
periments, lime produces very little ef-
feet on clover on unfertilized land.
Manure or fertilizer must first be used
before lime will produce any lasting,
benefits.
Farmers should not be misled by the
claim that certain methods of prepar-
ing lime will prevent its injurious eff
feet. If those methods do what Is
claimed for them they will prolong
and increase that effect and the appar-
ent increase of crop which follows the
application of such lines will be paid
for by a certain and more complete i'm
poverishment of the soil. Lime is not
a fertilizer and its use as a fertilizer
will bring ultimate loss.-Press Bulle-
tin Of the Ohio Agricultural Expert
ment Station.