Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-12-17
MARTINsBURe srArEsMAx-DEMocnAr DEC. i. lgog

wa little o suggest a corresponding
| advantage. OF the little work begun
under such circumstances the greater
part was so badly planned that the re-
suits are OF little value. Too often the
plan was to apply bur 1t lime to one
plat and ground lime stone to another,
and at regular intervals to repeat the
prlications indefinitely whether the
soil needed lime or not. In compare
lively few instances is there reason to
suspect serious endeavor TO deter
mine whether the soils used in the
tests were ever in need of lime; while
tests involving a decidedly sour soil,
an accurate estimation of the amount
of acid present, and a rational plan for
determining the relative efficiency of
the burnt and unburnt line in correct
ing the aeidity and retaining the sour
soil, are almost Incredibly scarce.
Any favorable results traceable to
the application OF any material, con-
tinued in excess of all possible needs
must clearly be a matter of the inert
ness OF such material. That the
ground lime stone should win out in
such tests is hardly an argument for
itsuse where lime is really needed.
The most RECEIPT argument in behalf
of the ground lime stone is a matter of
difference in cost. Grinding machinery
has been improved until lime stone
can be ground for less than lit can be
burned and crushed to go through a
drill. But it does not follow from
this that the ground lime stone is
necessarily cheaper than the burnt
lime. When hundred pounds of
good line stone is burned about fifty
six pounds remains as burnt lime.
This is the essential part of the lime
stone. 1t is usually known, simply, az
slime" 1t Is "actual" lime in the
same exacting sense that the terms
"actual potash" "actual phosphoric
aeld' ETC., are used.
The highest grade potash salts con-
tain about fifty per cent of actual pot
ash. good acid phosphate contains
fourteen to sixteen per cent of actual
phosphoric acid, Nitrate of soda and
dried blood contain about fifteen per
cent ofactual nitrogen These are among
the most concentrated sources of the
several constituents obtainable. Ground
lime stone should contain about fifty.
six per cent of "actual fine, "a reIa.
lively high figure, but the burnt lime
contains practically one hundred per
cent. 1t is one Of the very few soil con-
stituentsithat farmer may buy with
out having to take lot of stuff ne
does not want.
Neglecting for the moment any diff
ference in agricultural value. 1t is
this ratio Of 100 to 56 that smust be
reckoned within any attempt to de-
termine which form of lime provides
more actual lime for the money. It'll
not sufficient that 100 pounds of
ground lime stone he put on the cars
for less than 56 pounds of burnt lime;
the Freight, hauling, handling, spread
ing and the farmers time must be
coneidered. The last named items are
not always considered too seriously,
but freight bills are matters of spot
cash and an opportunity to cut them
in two is not TO be overlooked. A safe
rule land easy to remember) would re-
quire that two tons of aground lime
stone be gotten into the soil at what
ever it may cost to get one ton of
burnt lime into the soil.
So much for the difference in cost.
Theresis another sort of difference that
must not be ignored. When the burnt
lime is added to the soil 1t dissolves in
the soil water, forming Stacked lime.
The soil atmosphere and the soil
water always contain carbonic aciG
which 10 time convert the Stacked
lime into carbonate of lime Is the ma
terial of which the original lime stone
is composed, carbonic acid being the
material driven off on burning So it
might be asked wherein lies the adj
vantage in applying the burnt lime
since it is converted into the same ma
teral that might have been applied as
ground lime stone. 1t is matter OF
distribution sand incorporation with
the sol particles. The real advantage
in applying any of the various fertii-
ger constituents in a soluble form il