Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-08-26
RAISE LEGUME HAY;
 ARMY NEEDS GRAIN
Glover and Alfalfa Should Be Raised For Stock-Graln Is Needed
 For Human Food.
By D. F. Hungerford, Assistant Agron-
 omist University of Arkansas.

VerS and alfalfa because the demani for grain as human food has so in- creased the price that live stock men must rely upon legume hay largely to take the place of grain in feeding their animals.
 Those who attempt to raise these legumes should remember that al- falfa and most of the common clov- CTS require a soil that is well sup piled with lime to insure their best development Soil acidty, which means the absence of lime from a soil, is especially injurious to alfalfa and sweet clover. Neither of these crops appear to be able to resist, per. manently, even a slight degree ot acidity. Red clover is nearly as sen sitive to an acid condition as alfalfa. White, also crimson and burr clover are slightly more resistant, but will not do well on soils that have even medium acidity. Japan clover or lespedeza appears to be the most re- sistant of all the clovers to acid con- dition; but even though it will grow to limited extent on very acid soils, it does much better on soils contain ing lime.
 How To Determine If Your Soil
 Needs Lime.
 The simplest method of determin- ing if soil needs lime is to test it with litmus paper. Litmus paper can be secured at most drug stores. It comes in two colors-red and blue. The blue is used for the test. Much of the litmus paper carried by drug gists is of an inferior quality and is That which is put up in small vials by Squibble and by Merck & Go. has been found to be satisfactory.
 To make the test in the field time is selected after a rain when the soil is moist. A ball of moist soil Is mus paper inserted, and the soil pressed together again. After five or ten minutes the paper is taken out and if it has turned pink the soil is acid. Tests should be made in sev- eral parts of field that is being examined to eliminate errors. The litmus paper test is not absolutely re- liable even in the hands of trained workman and is sometimes mislead- ing when used by the inexperienced person. It is so simple and inex- pensive, however, that every farmer ol.@ iu any doubt about it sample may be sent to the Department of Agronomy of the Agricultural Experiment Sta. tion at Fayetteville where it will be tested free of charge.
 Form of Lime To Use.
 If it is desired to grow clover or alfalfa on a soil that has been found to be acid, lime in some form must be used to correct the acidity or the attempt to get a stand is almost cer- tain, to be failure. Lime may be applied as ground limestone, ground shells, ground burned lime, slacked usually the cheapest form of lime to use is ground limestone or ground shells. An unlimited amount of such material could be used without in- jury; whereas if an excessive amount of burned or slacked lime or wood jured and much humus destroyed in the soil. However, if the burned pr s!acked lime is used in moderate quantities (not to exceed 1,500 pounds per acre) no injury will result. In most cases it will be found more sat because it is cheaper, less unpleas- ant to handle. and Is safer.
 Ground limestone should be applied at the rate of about two tons per acre. If very large proportion of the material consists of coarse parti- inch in diameter a larger quantity should be used. The finer the rock is ground the more quickly it becomes available. but the finer grinding adds materially to the cost of production; hence in many cases, it is cheaper to uot CliCC VI AOul IOAlo OA tAC SodA oC material rather than two tons of flne- ly ground rock. In no case, however. should ground limestone be purchased which contains particles larger than one-fourth inch and large propor- tion of all limestone used should con. sist of fine powder.
 Ground limestone may be spread with special lime distributors, many styles of which are on the market, or it may be spread from wagon with shovels. In case the latter method is used care should be taken to insure an even distribution, otherwise the crop will not be uniform. It should be spread on plowed ground and eith. CT disked or narrowed in Lime should never be plowed under as that buries it too deeply to be of benefit to the terminating seed which needs it most ,'.; x; @
 Ground limestone should always be s> 1~%~