The Parisian. (Paris, Tenn.) 1907-1962, 1914-11-20
LIMESTONE FOR
TENNESSEE SOILS
Areas In State Where D0l0-
mite Is Abundant and
Easily Obtained
THE NEED IS CLEARLY SHOWN
Crushed Dolomitlc Limestone 10
By-product of Extensive Mining
Operations In State--lnvestigatlona
Recently Made at Tennessee Station


The need Of lime for Tennessee soils
has been clearly shown In Tennessee
Station Bulletin 81. Although most
of our soils are deficient in lime, the
valleys OF Tennessee are underlaid
with rich deposits of lime rock, and OF
dolomitic lime rock, the latter being
limestone carrying large percentages
of magnesium carbonate.
Crushed dolomitic limestone Is by |
product of extensive mining opera
tons in this state, and the magnetism
lime rock can, therefore, be obtained
very cheaply. Furthermore, there are
areas in this state where dolomite lie
abundant and easily obtained for home
crushing, while limestone is either
scare or absent. For these reasons
the question of relative values OF the
two limestones Is one Of great i'm
portance to the farmers Of this state.
While the usual run Of dolomitic
limestones analyze less in total car
Donates than most of our limestonesl
the greater efficiency Of magnesium
carbonate in neutralizing soil "acid'
ity' gives our average dolomitic
limestone value corresponding to 100
pounds Of limestone for each 80 pounds
of dolomitic limestone. In other words,
our average dolomitic limestone Is
more efficient In the extent of its neu.
tralization of soil "acidity" than equiv.
alent amounts of our average lime.
stone.
Certain investigations in this and
In foreign countries have shown that
q large excess of magnesia over lime
In the soil Is not beneficial to plant
growth, and for this reason the ques-
ton Of the advisability of the use OF
dolomite for some soils has been a
debatable one. Recent Investigations
! at the Tennessee Station have shown,
however, that due to the fondness OF
the magnesia of dolomite for solic-
ious substances in the soil, magnesium
, carbonate, unlike calcium carbonate,
can not remain in the soil, but is de-
composed. The substance formed
) from magnesium carbonate soil treat.
ment is much less soluble than the
original dolomite and can not, there.
fore, be so readily obtained by plants
Experiments have shown that when
dolomite is applied the calcium car
Donate Is subjected to teaching in ap
preciable amounts, whereas the mag
5 nesia after conversion to insoluble
9 forms Is largely conserved. It would
take long period Of the continued
use OF dolomite in the amounts or
dinarily used to effect this accumula
e ton OF magnesia in large excess ovel
lime, and this station, therefore, sees
> no reason why dolomite should not bt
e recommended for agricultural use'
h when applied as ground stone as wei
as limestone, when applied in amounts
not exceeding four or five tons PEI
acre. The megnesian limestone is no
well adapted to burning, and 1t shoult
not be applied as burnt material IL
ordinary cases.
BY utilization Of the cheap mag
nesian lime rock by-product, presen
land values could be materially AM
economically increased by the use o
dolomite to established condition
which would permit better growth o
leguminous crops. Moreover, in late
years, after the soil has been built u
and crop production increased, an
further limestone required could b
done with pure limestone, the cost 9
which will probably be less and NOR
easily borne by farmers who may hav
benefited financially from the origina
modest outlay for dolomitic trea
ments. 1t would be well, however, 70
farmers to receive individual advic
from their station as to the practic
most advantageous for their separat
needs.-W. M. MacIntire, Tennessee
Experiment Station.