The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-21
USE OF LIME ON THE LAND
Continued from Page One.)

CONTINUED from Page One.)
plant growth than would have peer
brought ordinary agencies operaI hs
in the soils. Hence lime TENDS &c
hasten the exhaustion of these con
stituents of the soil rather tina oulio
the soil up, esnecially when the llfhe
fertil ger, on poor SOIL.
is used alone, continuously. "iChou
How to Determine When Lime -
Needed.
II the and contains q large amount
of organic matter Casually indicated
by dark color Of the SOLD It IS ialriy
safe to assume that such SOILS, II
crops do lot yield we'll on them ana
they have not received an appi ca
ton of lime or mari in recent years,
that they would be benefited by linn
ing or marling.
If sheep s%orrel, button weed and
the water grasses are CROWN in the
fields it will usually be found that
such soils will respond ~faVorably 10
applicat ons Of lime. If blackberrles
~cranberries, raspberries or gallberries
are growing wild or the same type
Of soil in close proximity to the field
in question, it will generally be found
that an application Of lime will prove
beneficial for ordinary crops Xix corn
and the small grains or such field.
If it is an old field that has been
robbed of it's humuS by continuous
cultivation in some clean cultured
crop, like cotton, and the soil Of which
runs together and cementS after each
rain, it is quite likely 10 respond profit
ably to an application of lime, eSpe-
cially for the growth Of such crop as
clover, vetch, peaS~ and Otrer legumes.
If a heavy growth Of some green crop
is turned under, especially in the
spring, an application Of lime or mari
should be made before turning in
order to prevent the formation and
accumulation Of a large Of
organic acids in the soil by the rot
ing of the crop turned under. If
the soil has been poorly drained, and
has become tight and W~ater-sogged,
lime will in most cases prove highly
beneficial when applied soon after
drainage and before a crop has been
put in. If clover, vetch, coWpeas and
peanuts are to be grown upon ordi-
nary uplands, it will usually nay to
make a good application Of Tine to
the soil, the best results usually fol-
lowing with cowpeas, if the applica-
ton is made to the crOr groWi~~ pre-
~viously on the land; while with pea
nuts the opposite is frequently true.
If a soil IS quite acid its presence
may be determined by means of lit
mus paper. Take a portion Of the
soil to be tested into the hand and
make it into the consistency of a mud
pie by adding water and working
with the hands. Now take a small
strip Of blue litmus paper, Which may
be secured from any local store, and
bury it in the mud pie. After re-
naming for a minute or two remove
the litmus paper and wash in clear
water, and if the soil is acid or sour
the color of the paper will have been
changed from the original blue to a
red color. Of the commonly grown
farm rop probably oats and Irish
potatoes are the most tolerant of
large amounts Of acidity in the sol
When Apply.
Although conditions and systems of
rotation will modify to some extent
the time of application, yet, usually
the safest time to apply this material
to the SOL will be during the fall or
early winter, especially so if either
the caustic or slaked form is used.
If carbonate Of lime be employed il
may go on in the spring with less
danger Of injury to the Sec Of the
crop than when either of the two
forms mentioned above is used. When
the appncat on is made in the fall,
time is afforded for the lime to be-
come Well mixed with the soil before
spring. especially so if it is put in
properly. The carbonate or air.
slaked form of lime does not act as
energeticallv as do the quick and wa
ter-slaked forms.
How Apply and Amount.
AS a general rule lime Should he
applied and then thorough
~ narrowed and disked into the sol,
OF slaked lime the quantity REQUIRED
per acre varies quite consid erably with
different soils, rop and condit. ons.
Usually, however, the amour neces-
isary TO use will VARY between 1000
and 5000 pounds. Or it's equivalent
of some other form. per acre. Never
NIX ilme. especially in the caustic or
Water-slaked forms, with any materia,
conta1nin~ ammonia. before applyne
it to the soil. because the lime wont
tend to Set free into the atmosphere
some of h ammonia, and hence il
would be lost. For this reason it is
exceedingly unwise to mix lime az
rectly with stable manure. Do no;
add lime to acid phosphate or to mix