Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-12-17
Limestone .

The Experiment station is extern
sively engaged in soiIinvestigations in
volving the use of lime and in response
to numerous inquiries from farmers
concerning the relative efficiency of
burnt and unburDt lime the following
4 article by Prof. B. I'll. Hite has been
prepared:
GROUND LIME STONE.
| 1t is unfortunate that as often as q
serious soil trouble is discovered and a
reliable remedy well-known, some
body must turn up 10 boost a compar-
at1vely untried substitute. No sooner
WIS deficiency in phosphorlc acid
disclosed by the soil work of the Elk +.
pertinent Station, aud abundantIy
confirmed by the experience of farm
ers throughout the State than "fioats, !"
or untreated ground phosphate rock
was urgently recommended as sub
stitute for acid phosphates. A few
years have passed and with them,
most Of the claims originally advanced
! in behalf of the floats. The "fioats"
| propos ton, in one shape or another,
cost the farmers Of other States great
deal more than it cost the farmers of
| West Virginia. 1t is to be hoped that
| the latter will fare as well by the
ground lime stone which Is now
among us with the cure-alI lclaims of
! its predecessor.
1t should be understood at once that
lime stone is much more readily solu-
BILE than phosphate rock, and that a
high grade lime stone finely ground
ought to be very much better substi-
tute for the burnt lime, than ''floats, ;"
for an acid phosphate. There may be
occasional opportunities for using the
J ground lime stone to advantage and
especially if improvements IN grind
/ ing machinery may be relied upon to
make further reductions in the cost.
j Certainly no one should lie discuur-
aged from using the ground lime stone
on an experimental scale. Such tests
are badly needed and would be watch
ed with interest. But for this very rea-
sou its use on large scale ought not
to be recommended, and certainly not
to the exclusion Of the burnt lime in
dealing with a matter so serious as the
sour soils of this State
The prevalence of acid soils in this
State is a very serious matter and
would be alarming, not to say dis
heartening, but for the ease and GER
tainly with which burnt lime may be
With such remedy at hand the Sta
TONS announcement of the preva lence
of sour soils was to be received as
good news, rather than bad. Owners
of sour soils had so long believed them
to be worn out or otherwise beyond
profitable reclalming that to be assured
that they could be SO easily improve a
was like telling man that he had
bit Of scid indigestion when he
thought he had cancer of the stomach
The one tremendous opportunity for
lime in this State at this time is in
building up these sour soils. II means
an inc rease of millions in the produc-
tiveness of our lands and everything
/ that goes with such an increase. In
this great work there is nothing to
suggest possible advantage for the
ground lime stone.
| Just here it is to be observed that
much of what is claimed or hoped for
the ground lime stone is matter of
inference based upon the action of 9TH
er forms of lime. AS for the ground
lime stone itself, comparatively little
is known, and this ID especially true of
ita efficiency on acid soils. 1t would
seem that much ought to be inferred
from the action of some of other forms,
especially mari, but experience shows
that real soil problems cannot always
be settled by analogy;-they require
real work and that work in sufficient
amount has not been done in this case.
1t has been but short time since
the necessary machinery for grinding
lime stone at a reasonable cost has been
invented. Any tests extending over a
considerable period had to begin with
the ground lime stoLe at mach high