The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-07-14
FARMER AND PLANTER.
--ulxE- Hor- A~FRRT1LIzRR..
" =, However, Indispensable -
RAAnt GrewtA, Bat Must Be
Used Jndleaously.


AAat Growth, But Must h
useA Jndlcio.sly.
Lime II absolutely Indispensable T.
plant growth. vet it is required il COM
paratively small amounts. Our cereal
crops. Tor instance, contain about two
pounds Of phosphoric acid and three
pounds OF potash for every pound al
lime. while all soils EXCEPT the clear
SAND contain much more lime than
pnosphoric acid. and at least as much
ime as potash. The abundance of lime
Is SHOWN In the fact that water which
nas peen Tor any length Of time in
contact with the soil is always hard;
put only one grain OF lime to the gall
ION OF water, quantity that could not
Oe detected under ordinary conditions,
would supply twice the amount Of
ilme needed by clover crop, which is
the only one Of our ordinary farm
crops that contains as much lime n
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
SOIL becomes acid, clover will not
thrive upon it and when this condi-
ton occurs an application of lime may
oe necessary, point thoroughly dem
onstrated at the Ohio experiment sta
ton, where luxuriant crop OF clover
has been grown on =, "a land, while
the clover on unlime land along side
vas complete failure.
Lime performs still another import
ant function in liberating plant food
already In the soil. Il little lime b
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 in
to the air. II lime be mixed with the
soil similar action will take place. II
crop be growing upon the soil it may
absorb part OF the escaping ammonia
and larger crop is made at the ex-
pense Of the soil stores of plant fooc
and il these are not maintained by ma
ruring or fertilizing the soil will soon
refuse to respond to lime, because all
the material in 1t upon which lime can
act has bean drawn out and the soil is
poorer than ii no lime had been used.
European farmers who have used
hme for many years have become %
convinced Of its injurious effect when
used in this way that they, say ''lime
enriches the father but impoverishes
the son." and 1t is customary in some
places to prohibit the use. OF lime in
leasing land
Some of those who have lime to sell |
"a Ohio are adgertising it as fertilis-
q, claiming that 1t is better and !
cheaper than phosphate" But the Ohio
experiment. station wol1ld earnestly |
warn III farmers against using lime as |
. substitute for manure o. fertilizers.
When used - an adjunct to liberal ma
nuring q fertilizing, lime may be used
to perform most important service,
but IT. use as = substitute for manure
= Fertilizer means ruin 70 the soil.
Where clover Is failing to grow the
use Of lime Is indicated. For this pur-
pose the common Qujcklime is all that
Is required. A very convenient form Of
lime II made in some parts Of the state
BY grinding quick-lime into q 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. It must not be expected that
lime alone win bring prosperity to the
dover crop in the Ohio stations ex-
periments, lime produces very little e.
'ect on clover on unfertili1ed land.
Manure or fertilizer must first be used
leeure lims will prodnce any lasting
,cneAts -
Farmers should not be misled by theJ
lain that certain methods Of prepar-
ng lime will prevent its injurious ef
ect II those methods do what Is
laimed for them they will prolong
md increase that effect and the appar-
mt increase OF crop which follows the [
.pplication Of such lines viii be paid
Or by certain and more complete i'm I
Of the soil. Lime Is not I
fertilizer and its use as fertilizer {
vill bring ultimate loss.-Press 'Bulle-
In of the Ohio Agricultural Expert
nent Station.