Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-13

formation of carbon dioxide in the soil
seem to improve it's texture, and tend to
correct certain undesirable conditions In
the soil, as we'll as aid in the setting
free of plant food. The roots of plants
exude materials which are also helpful
in the elaboration of food. When you
realize that by deep blowing it is possible
to give the plants the power to teed
through areas of the soil containing two
or three times as much plant food as Is
the case where shallow blowing is prac-
ticed, you can see another reason why 1t
is desirable to stir the land deeply.
We are only beginning to suspect the
relation of the microscopic life of the soil
to the production of large crops. 1t has
recently been found out, for instance,
that there are certain low forms OF life
in the soil which feed on the bacteria
which assimilate nitrogen, and that by
certain methods Of practice these may
be controlled and their numbers greatly
reduced. AS a result, the supply of nitro
gen in the soil will increase, and this will
increase the growth of crops. Most of
US have been inclined to laugh at the
theories of the scientist and to believe
that they are vain vaporings of the mag
ination, but we are now coming to see
in these modern days that the only hope
of improving farm practice Is to study
nature so completely and thoroughly as
to understand the process by which she
works and aid her in order that she may
benefit man by giving him increased
yields in return for the intelligent effort
expended in the cultivation Of the SOIL
WHICH KIND OF LIME TO USE.
H p D.. Dover, Tenn, writes / no.
tice advertised by a firm In Charleston.
s. c., lime put up in 100-pound bags
in a powdered state which is offered for
sale as a fertilizer. Do you know any
thing about this lime and how it is re-
duced to a powdered state? l am living
in a limestone country and know the
value of lime on land, but the lime we
have comes from the kiln in rock form
which is reduced by the addition of wa
ter to quick lime. The information 1
wish is how this lime offered for sale
at Charleston is prepared. / would also
like to know the kind of bags 1t is put
up in.
= - e.. > f-sau-- -trs.g.sir a0 t--.
NV attention has not been previously
called to the advertisement of lime put
up at Charleston, s. c., In 1oO-pound
bags If you can send me further in
formation relative to this matter, 1t Will
be possible for me to answer your ques-
lions in a more intelligent manner.
While lime may be applied to the soil
to Improve its physical condition, and
may sometimes be needed as actual plant
food, one of its greatest benefits is its
, tendency to correct acidity and thus
make possible desirable activity in the
microscopic forms of plant food on which
the Transformation of the food in the
soil into a condition assimilable by plants
depends Lime occurs on the market
in one of several forms. When freshly
burned it is known as caustic or biting
VII. al tc ffYT1na mil
verified, and it is then known as pulver-
lied lime 1t contains the largest amount
of material for correcting the acidity In
the soil, though it tends to eat up the
vegetable matter. and so should only be
used somewhat sparingly and under a
very rational system of farm practice.
Lime may be used in the form of flour;
that is, the raw rock very finely ground,
the finer the better. In this state 1t Is
not so active as when burned and pull
verified, and it will take about two tons
of the limestone to have the same effect
as one ton of the pulverized lime. There
is now appearing on the market a mate
rial called new process lime. This has
been Stacked by steam and had its weight
greatly increased without any addition
TO it's ability to correct acidity. One ton
of this new process lime will certainly
not correct as much soil acidity as a
ton of the pulverized lime. The new
process lime has one advantage In that
it Is easy to handle.
The efficiency of the different forms
of lime as they appear on the market
from the farmers point Of view. howev-
err, Is determined largely by their rela-
tive cost. II one can secure two tons
of the finely ground limestone rock. lay
it down and apply it to his soil at the
same cost as one ton of caustic or fresh
ly burned lime, 1t makes little differ
ence which he uses. Similarly. one can
without great difficulty ascertain the
relative price which he should pay for
new process lime. Some forms of COM
mercial lime with which the writer is
acquainted is put up in paper sacks, but
he cannot speak definitely, with regard
q that a l. L.