Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-13
Facts for Farmers, Stock
Breeders, Poultry aisers,
Orchardists, Truckers and Gar
deness..-Oueries and Answers
TRADING LIME FOR POTASH
HY CARL LNNt;ENRECI<.
Government lime Service bureau

! The net result OF the use of lime
| is equivalent to tho application of
| potash and phoSphoric acid fertilizers
| TO tho SOIL. no; TO mention the marked
! influence on nitratcs 1t may bc re-
! marked further. that this is entirely
! legitimate, rs the soil store of plant
! food, while not TO he wasted. is not
! To be boarded: il is to DO wisely used
| In this statement Professor rrcar Of
! Pennsylvania State College. hollis down
The whole principle OF soil Inning. II
| !s timely because fertilizer mauufac-
| turcrs. unable to get German nptash
! the only source Of supply. are com
PEELED 10 cut it out of their mixtures
! Farmers not lining have depended OF
tho potash i'll the fertilizer for crop
| food. and have unwittinsly boarded the
natural available" potash in their
soils. This accumulated potash is now
Oh deposit for them in tho soil store
house. But the crop cannot .;ct y in
sufficient amount for full growth unless
the supply IS unlocked.
The soil is a great sponge. which
ahsorhs not only water. but materials
out OF its saltwater solution. conSpiC-
uously potash and phosphateS 1t holds
these so firmly that they do not go
back into the soil water except in very
small amount. and are consequently
boarded there. for the growing crop
tho soil water. which IL absorbs The
soil sponge does not hoard an inden-
mite amount OF plant foods. hut II maxi
mum amount OF each. depending upon
two things. its nucncss and its sour
ness. What is supplied over and above
this maximum is held so loosely tina;
ii passes into the soil water again
easily FOR the benefit OF the crop. n
therefore, potash and phosphatcs arc
a ,,iN I,o
soil so much OF each for permanent
holding as is required to mako up this
maximum amount Tho surplus goes
10 the benefit Of tho i:nmediatc crop
This shows two things first. why tho
sam" fertilizer. used in the same
amount for the same crop, on two soils.
may give a vigorous growth OH ono
and poor growth on the other soil
The latter took nearly ali Of II 20 salts
= tho absorptive or boarding property
o. tho SOIL sponge. Secondly. that tho
soil literally fortified FOR several
Years.. holds, FOR future use. "a lar.:e
amount OF available plant food. mainly
potash. Some agent must, however. be
employed for unlocking T.,
This agent. as Professor Frear SAYS.
: lime. The reaction Is not chemical,
bat physical 1t does not take place
in definite proportions between lime
and potash, but between line and tho
particular soil and a greater or less
rainfall, as incidental factor. 1t is
not possible TO say. therefore. SO much
cost FOR lime viii suppl! 50 much
potash LEFT out OF the fertilizer" But
you can say. so much lime needed TO
ueu;ralize my soil VIII give me enough
potash. If have not wasted the hoard
N previous years by overliining" The
wise farmer Will Insist that tho county
agent carr" soil tester and tell him
how much lime 10 use. For il h. lines
by guess. he may lime too much. vast
ing money for line ana driving more
potash out OF the soil than tho immc-
date crop needs. Again. the lime used
by custom alone. and. therefore b.
guess. nlay be too little for his soil
In this case he falls short, in the trade.
Of potash release This : the logic oc
what prompts Professor Frear TO say.
as a result o: his experience: The saw
ing OF lime bills alone would doubtless
many times rcpaT the cost OF 4 study
OF the LINE requirements OF acid soils"