The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-10-28
The Lining Of Soils

when most people had the idea that
nalntain soil fertility and secure MAJ
mum crops, all that one had 10 q
was to apply all the manure he coul
obtain and perhaps apply hundred
two Of phosphate besides. We al
forming a different opinion nowaday
Even in sections where lime is abur
dant ii is often times found that al
plications have shown an increase
crop. Outside Of limestone section
the application of lime almost invarl
ably results in an increased yield
What is lime? To many this woul
seem ridiculous question. However
lime exists in so many forms that thi
question is soon found to be far iron
ridiculous. In the first place lime i
made up Of the chemical substanc,
calcium" combined with Oxygen,
"carbonic acid gas" or water" as the
case may be. In nature lime exists IL
the form of limestone, marble, anc
mari. 1t also exists in oyster shells
In these forms it has the same chem
zeal composition, the combination be-
ing called calcium carbonate" Should
any Of these forms be placed in fur
naces, and burned with wood or coal,
large quantities of carbonic acid gas
would be driven off and the resulting
product would be known as burnt"
lime commercially, the chemical name
being calcium oxide" For every
hundred pounds of carbonate that is
burned, "A pounds of carbonic acid gas
is driven off leaving So pounds of cal
cium oxide. Should this Sc pounds of
calcium oxide or burnt lime be moist
ened with sufficient water and not too
much so that no surplus water is left
unused, it would form another combin-
alton or product known as slaked lime,
and weigh "a pounds. The chemical
name for this form is calcium hydrox-
ide. If this slaked lime is exposed to
the air for long time, it would grad
ually change back into the same COM
bination as ground limestone. 1t is
known as "air-slaked' lime, and ex-
cept as it is apt to be more finely
ground, by reason of its having been
slaked, it is of no more value than
ground limestone.
With the above information at hand,
the consideration arises what kind of
lime shall be used for applying on
soils? What one seeks is to secure
he cheapest and most effective form.
70 determine this two main consider
atoms are necessary: first, what is the
value of the different
finds, and second, what action on the
oil is expected or sought. Several
actors influence the value of lime, !
mong which are the amount Of cal :
ium oxide contained, the fneness to
which the product is ground, and the
reatment necessary in applying to
oils. 1t is easy to make the mistake
{ believing that the lime costing the
East per ton is the cheapest. Seldom
; this the case, however Under or
mary circumstances burnt lime con-
aims more or less impurities SO that
ardly ever is there more than SO
ounds calcium oxide to the hundred.
laked lime analyses about so per cent
alcium oxide. If burnt lime cost
$50 per ton delivered the cost per
ound of calcium oxide would be
tile over As hundredths Of cent. I
ince a given amount Of calcium oxide [
as the same value in the different {
rms of lime when applied to soils, s
will require no mathematician to
scover which of the two lines in the s
Dove examples is the cheaper. In de- d
the relative value of lime in
her cases all that is necessary to do b
to multiply the percentage Of cal t
UNI oxide in the lines in question by c
J, the number of hundred weight in
ton, and divide the cost per ton by
e total number of pounds of calcium b
tide in the ton. This gives the cost O
n pound and consequently allows r
curate comparison. A small differ
ce in cost per pound means a large Ii
e per ton. The saving per ton gain is
by purchasing the burnt lime in the 81
owe example would be 1892. o.
The finer lime is ground the more Ii
ective it will be when applied to al
lis. This is an important point and vi
E farmer should be careful to see al
at the lime he purchases is finely tn
ound or can be made so. Lime is is
t quickly soluble in the soil, and it is be
,refore necessary that it be compos- m
of very fine particles so that it may Y
thoroughly distributed in the soil. 81
lked lime is usually the finest form. re
The value Of lime, besides being de- ar
ldent upon the amount Of calcium sil
de contained, and the fneness to
ich ii is ground, is further depend