The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-06-20
PERMANENT SOIL FERTILITY.

Prof. A. A. Pearson In Bulletin
No. 40, Florida Agricultural Expe-
ment station (the latest analysis OF
Florida soils published) gives as an
average of the six samples of Polk
county soils lime content OF 1888
pounds to the top foot of soil.
According to Stockbridge's calcu-
lations the weight of one acre of
sandy soil to the depth of one foot
is 4,791,6O0 pounds. Prof. Hilgard
says the lime per centage should
not be less than Ito of 1 per cent
in the lightest sandy soils, which
would equal 4,791 pounds, which
shows a great deficiency of lime in
Polk county Soils Remember this
analysis was made sixteen years or
more ago and every citrus fruit tree
growing on them since has been
eating up what little lime 1t could
get since that time, as well as all
other Vegetation has been taking
some. Where me vegetation has
been removed it has carried away
all that 1t had absorbed. Only that
burned on the ground or turned un-
der has left its lime.
Being short on an average Of
1873 pounds per acre of what the
best authorities consider essential
to good lands, sixteen years or more
ago what must the shortage be now ?
When We remember that one-half If
the ash left from burning citrus
wood is lime When we stop to think
about it, it is surprising that our
trees grow any more at all and look
as we'll as they do.
Besides supplying vegetation with
one of the essentials of growth, lime
performs an important part in the
action of bactaria, in preparing other
earthly materials for plant food.
1t is well established that the nit
rifying bactaria can ont do good
work without considerable time. 1t
|: also an important factor in the
working Of others. 1t is we'll estab-
lished that many Of the legumes will
not flourish and produce nodules in
acid soils, the lime sweetens such
soils, and enables them to do a more
perfect work.
Prof. Pearson gives the phosphorus
content of the six analysises before
referred to. 1866 pounds per acre
to the depth Of one foot. which is a
very high average and much more
than is considered necessary for good
soil.
One Of the great troubles is to de-
termine whether there Is enough on
your land or not. One of the speci-
mems collected by Mr.. J. H. Tatum.
of Barlow, give only ESQ pounds per
acre, while another collected by the
same gentleman is given as $500
pounds; another is given 11,072 an
other S,44S pounds.
Agricultural chemists the world
over consider 1000 pounds enough
for all kinds of agricultural pur-
poses. 1t Is stated that where the
low per centage was found it was
almost pure white sand. The speci-
men containing the high per centage
OF phosphorus also contains much
lime, hence where this specimen was
taken the owner would be throwing
money away to purchase either OF
these elements in his fertilizer.
Only four specimens are given fror,
Hillsboro county, two of which were
cent in by Mr.. ], L. Young of Plant
City and collected about one-half a
mile from the depot; the phosphorus
content is 1852 in one and 12,16O
pounds in the other, while the lime
content is $3.50 pounds and 2,9OO
pounds respectively. Yet there arc
some people who claim to be intelli.
sent that declare there is not much
difference in Florida soils. 1t is all
largely sand anyway.
w. H. CONIBEAR.
(Continued.) N