The progress., 1904-07-30
FARMER ANDPLANTER
LIME NOT A FERTILIZER.
II IL, HSwS%sf; indis5ensabis Il
Plant Growth, But Must BS
Used JudlciousIy.

Lime Is absolutely indispensable to
plant growth. yet 1t is required in COM
paratively 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 mitch more Inns than
phosphoric acid, and at least as much
lime as potash. The abundance Of lime
is shown in the fact that water whaeh
has been for any length IT tinie III
contact with the soil Is always hardj
but only one grain 5f lime t6 the. gall
lon of water, a quantity that could not
be detected under ordinary conditions,
would supply twice the amount OF
lime needed by d clover crop, which is
the only one 81 ouf 8rdinafy fafid
crops that contains Is much lime dc
potash.
Lime, however, serves other -puf-
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 it and when this condi-
tion occurs an application of lime may
be necessary, a point thoroughly dem
onstfated at the Ohio experiment sta
ti0n; where d liixufiant crop Of clover
has been grown on lined Land, while
the clover On iihlimed land along side
was d tbmplete failure.
Lime performs Still another import
ant function i'll iibefatihg b1aiit food
already in the soil II d 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 manure and that it is escaping IT,
to the air. If lime be mixed with the
soil similar action will take place. If
crop be growing upon the soil 1t may
absorb part of the escaping ammonia
and larger crop is made at the ex-
pense of the soil stores of plant fooc
and II these are not maintained by ma
ruring or fertilising the soil will soon
refuse to respond to lime, because all
the material In It upon which lime can
act has been drawn out and the soil ia
poorer than If no lime had been used
European farmers who have used
lime fof many years have become 40
conviheed of It's Injurious effect when
used in this way that they say 'iin1e
enfiches the father bit impoverishes
the g6tl;' and it Is customary in some
places t8 prohibit the Use Of line III
leasing land
Some 6f thoss who have lime to sell
in Ohio are advertising it as fertiliz-
er, claiming that it is "bettsf and /
cheaper than phosphate" But the Ohio |
experiment station would earnestly
warn all farmers against using lime as
a substitute for manure or 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 substitute for manure
or fertilizer means rtiii to the soil.
Where clover is failing to grow tho
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 quitk-lime into d 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 eff
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 it's injurious eff
iect II those methods do what is
claimed for them they will prolong
and increase that effect and the appar-
mt increase of crop which follows the
application of such lines will be paid
or by a certain and more complete i'm
ooverishment Of the soil. Lime is not
, fertilizer and its use as fertilizer
will bring ultimate 1oss.-Press Bulle-
in Of the Ohio Agricultural Expert
Ctoti |