Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-12-24
Limestone .
Continued from last week.


different materials when applied to the
soil can do we'll the work of the regu-
lar soil constituents, and this would
be impossible but for facts distribution
etc., just stated. The great trouble
with the ground phosphate rock
(hoats) was its utter lack OF ability u
place itself everywhere at the disposal
of the plant. While regarded by SOM
Ms more "natural" than the acid phoi
hates its distribution ~ in the sol
was very unnatural compared witt
the distribution so easily obtainabll|
with burnt lime, acid phosphates and
other soluble materials, the finest
grinding can only provide few enor-
nous masses of rock scattered at help
lessly unnatural distances. And feed.
ing plants. with applications OF floats
or other issoluble materials 10 about as
"natural" as producing fat-and-lesn
streaked bacon by feeding pigs all
they team eat IoLe day and starving
them the next.
The wonderfully perfect distribution
Of the burnt lime In the soil, together
with the fact that it has strongly basic
properties when arst applied, account
for the promptness with which it I'M
dertakes its work. And this suggests
the remaining arguments in behalf Of
the unburnt lime, as they are all based
upon the fear that the burnt lime, be-
Ing more active, will burn up humus.
The relation of humus to lime, burnt
or unburnt, or to any other soil con-
siituent is toe big subject for the
space remaining in this Issue. 1t may
be observed in psssi ng that the fears
In question are entertained for the
most part by the same fellows who
short while ago were so tenderly nurs-
ing a similar fear of boost for floats.
Certainly this latest scare might have
been deferred alittle. Farmers have
hardly had time to congratulate them
selves on what they didn't loose on
the floats.
But when ones real interest is i'm
poverished soils is matter of what he
may find to preach it is always
temptation to preach something just a
little dlffe -ent, so 1t will carry with 1t
the suggestion of better information
and possible excuse for the preach
ing. If our timld boosters had the
slightest real interest in retaining
our sour soils it is hard to understand
why they cannot conjure up an
occasional fear for the wholesale rel
commentator of a com parativeiy un-
tried remedy in the face of such al
widespread and serious soil trouble.
The fear Of burning up little hui
mus is the silliest bug-a-boo of modern
agriculture. 1t is the inspiration forI
our most irrational agricultural prac-
tees and directly or indirectly respon
oble for our first soil troubles. 1t
seems often to be securely established
in lack of faith in the sell ITSELF
which of course is to be expected of
those who have little. use for the soil
except as text.
We have all had too many oppor-
tunities to watch the disappearance of
the virgin supply of numus, and with
it, the virgin fertility. Some seem to
have gathered from such observations,
that the only hope for such soils must
be anchored securely to the conserva-
ton of the humus that remains
The lesson that should have been
learned is that the fertility of the vir-
gin soil was largely matter of the hui
mus that was burning up, and the
only fear that should have been en-
tertained is that the supply be allow
ed to become deficient The only real
hope for such soils now, is that humus
may again be made to burn as Vigor-
ously as did the virgin supply. This
can never be done by standing with a
club over the few cid sour cinders that
remain.
Humus incidentally performs so
many valuable functions in the soil
that we sometimes forget that it's one
great work is TO burn up. In burning
up it acts powerfully upon the soils
"inert" mineral particles, in which
farmers 80 often have so little faith but
which must always be the only real
foundation for an enduring agriculture
In this is to be found the explanation
for the BLASTING effects" of stable ma
nure, which being in an advanced
stage OF decomposition lin other words,
well lighted is the most powerful coil
slimulant known. Burning up hu-
humns is the only known practical
way to make the soil particles yield up
their plant food at a rate approaching
the demands of modern agricultural
10 tioIao II &c uaturats way \Na ora