Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-09

| With the building up of soil by
proper crop rotation becoming more
general the use of lime for improve
| ing agricultural soils is increasing.
Limestone soils are universally rec
ognized as rich soils and especially
| suitable for stock farming, where
proper mixed hay and pasture are
vital. BY the use Of ground lime
moderate expense, can make their
Bureau of Soils United States De-
partly of Agriculture.
| Where lime can be bought from
large plants producing it. cheaply, it
is doubtful whether the farmer in
limestone region would do we'll to
make his own lime. In other cases
however, the existence of local ma
terial and the advisability of using
wise go to waste make it the best
policy to produce lime on the farm.
In some rural communities are
sources of power such as sawmills.
which are only used for. part of the
year. In cases of this kind it may
be possible to utilize this power for
limestone grinding, and thus lower
| the price of the product. In other
/ cases, as at prisons, reformatories,
| institutions for the insane, etc, there
or cheap labor which may be used to
produce lime for the institution farm
| farmers.
Burning or Grinding
Given source eff limestone or
shell, the farmer has a choice Of
either grinding the material finely
and using it in the form of carbonate
form of oxide or quicklime. In the
early days of this country the burn
| ing process was the only one en-
ployed, but at present ground lime
| stone is popular in many sections
where long freight haufs are not IL
| volved Good results Extraordinarily
are obtained from lime in either Of
| these forms.
| Burning has certain advantages for
small opera tons, chiefly because it
takes 10. expensive equipment or
power plant Where only a small
sary is to use the so-called heap
method. In this system a layer of
two rows of dry cordwood mixed with
a lighter kindling is first laid down,
limestone. and above this several
| layers of limestone and coal. One
part, of coal should burn several
parts Of limestone. The outside Of
| this heap is covered with soil and
the kindling lighted The burning
whole amount of broken limestone
into burned lime, the carbon dioxide
escaping as a gas through an OPEN
| ing left in the top of the heap for
| this purpose. The process is not COM
pletely satisfactory unless the gas Is
| allowed to escape.
This method produces lime which
is mixed with ashes, but as the coal
ashes are harmless and the wood
ashes beneficial to the soil. no i'll
| effects result from this mixture.
| Oyster or clam shells may be burned
in a similar manner or in a special
rack made of cordwood. In all cases
| spaces must be left between the
stone or shells for the flames to
penetrate.
Where larger quantities of lime
are to be made it may be advisable
| in some cases to construct a small
| cylindrical kiln, which may be lined
| with fire brick or sandstone. This
is rarely advisable for the farmer at
present, however, as under these
conditions it would probably pay
him better to purchase a grinding
outfit.
Community production
The use of small crushers and pull
verizers to produce ground lime
stone has proved satisfactory In
many localities. They are naturally
not as economical as large plant,
but may save high freight rates to
inaccessible localities. They are
often employed also at off seasons
Of the year where labor would other
wise not, be used to the best advan-
tage. The most convenient outfit Is
a combination crusher and pulverizer,
but good results ara secured from
small pulverizers, although in this
case a good deal more hand sledging
has to be done. Portable outfits
may be moved from place to place
1
hauling.
| Where associations Of farmers are