The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-15
The AppIleatlor Of Lime


Agent has had many inquiries con-
corning the use of lime as soil
amenoment from farmers who are
cons dering its application this COM
ing season. 1t is therefore consider
ed advisable to answer these in
quiries by means of short article
in order that a better understand
ing OF the matter may be had. 1t is
not the purpose Of this article to COW
er fully the subject Of the use of
lime, but rather to emhody a. few
considerations that the farmer must
keep In mind in applying lime on his
farm.
Lime is applied to soil with many
objects Of which the following are
a few:
l. To overcome acid conditions In
the soil, thereby enabling crops to
grow better. besides enabling the far
mer to grow clover where he could
not otherwise.
2. To set free mineral plant foods
in the soil, such as potash and phos-
phoric acid, and to make more avail
able to plants the heterogeneous com
pounds in the soil.
3. To improve the exture of a soil
by making it more easy to work as
in the case of clay soils, or by max
ing it more retentive of moisture If
sandy soil.
There are four general forms in
which lime is applied, namely, quick
| lime, slaked lime, air-slaked lime, and
ground limestone. Mari is sometimes
used also. Quick lime contains u.s.
ually, over So per cent calcium oxide,
| the Stacked lime about 20 per cent
the air-slaked lime, mari and
ground limestone so per cent. The
calcium oxide - - .hoea forms is
about equally available where the
fineness of the matter is the same.
The most important $3.50 - de
| termining what should be the form
of lime to apply to soil-whether ii
should be burned lime, air-slaked
lime, slaked lime, or raw grounu
limestane-is the cost per hundred
pounds of calcium oxide contained in
these forms. Briefly stated. sc
pounds of the burned lime equals "A
pounds of the slaked lime, and /,
pounds of the raw ground lime stone
air slaked lime or mari. Thus if the
price of the burned lime is $3.50 pei
ton, the cost of the slaked lime
should not exceed 1929 nor should
the cost of the raw ground lifestone
| exceed S4.76. At the prevailing
prices il is found that the burned
lime is the cheapest.
| There are other factors which de-
termine to some extent the form oil
lime to use, One is the effect de
sired by the application of lime. II
overcoming soil acidity only is the
desired effect, raw ground limestone
will serve that purpose. II change
or improvement OF physical condi
ton of the soil, such as making a
| clay soil open and more easily work
ed, is desired, or the liberation OF
plant food burned lime will prove
the more efficient.
| F'ineness of material is another fac
tor to consider in applying lime. This
| finer the material the better ii viii
work into the soil and the better the
effect will be. Ordinarily speaking
| the lime should be ground as fine as
to pass through an eighty mesh
screen. Burned lime on shaking be
comes very fine, and so meets this re
| quirement II is usually more diff
| cult to obtain the same fineness
| through grinding as by burning, con
sidering the matter from the stand
point of cost.
In applying lime. one should not
| consider 1t as a cure-all for sol
| troubles and 1t should not be USED
| for this purpose. II has legitimate
use. however. II supplies one OF the
thirteen elements necessary to plan
life. II sets free phosphorus and pc
| tassium and makes the formation o.
available heterogeneous compound:
more easy. But its continued appli
cation where the soil is deficient II
humus that is, decaying animal Of
vegetable matter, is sure TO result II
harm. for the lime must have some
thing to work on in the way of plan
food in the soil to obtain the desired
results.
Lime may be applied at any time
of the year, providing that 1t may b.
well mixed with the soil. Where /;
crop is to be planted II is necessary
to apply some weeks before planting
1t is best applied with a lime spread
er, where raw ground limestone. Of
ground burned lime is used. Wher,
lump lime is used it may be takeI
to the field and put in piles of abou
one bushel each 40 feet apart eacl
way. BY adding a little water anC
covering with earth this will slake 81
as to make 1t finely graduated AZ
ter standing two or three days 1
may be spread with a shovel
The amount of lime needed for sol
applications varies according to tn,
kind of soil to which applied Oh
light soils 1000 pounds burnt lin,
will be enough, while on heavy ella,
soils one ton should be used April
cations need not be made more thar
once in FIVE years. Where groun,
limestone Is used one ton to tn,
acre is usually required. and per
haps a little oftener than in the cas-
Of burned lime.