The Crittenden press., 1920-02-20
Agricultural Coils,ru
By ProE Geo. ". Cmbe7
coRsscrIoN OF SOIL AcIpIrY.

CORRECTION OF SOIL ACIpITY.
The most economic neUirali5er for
acid soil is ground limestone. The
use of limestone is not a twentieth
century tad. The Chinese and Romans
used II two thousand years ago.
Ground limestone is not a fertilizer,
but is more correctly termed a soil
suumlant |, does not add TO the soil
phosphorus or potassium Large crop
yields cannot De maintained where
large applications of limestone are
made and large crops Of hay or other
crops removed and no commercill
ph2SphaIeS or manure is returned.
Lima without manure makes the ia
ther rich but the son poor.
The caustic effect Of the lime on
the mineral soil particles tends 10
make them more soluble in the soil
water, hence large amount OF plant
food becomes available for growing
crops and larger crops result The sol!
contains only a certain amount OF
plant food and II you take out some
by cropping your soil is just that much
poorer. In vieS II these facts il can
lie readily understood why CONNER.
cisl fertilizer mus, be added or man
u-e returned TO the soil in order not
10 deplete the amount Of plant food
in the soil.
The timer the texture ot a soil the
more readily will II wash away. Our
clay soils wash because We do not
use a cover crop for the winter, plow
four or five inches instead Of six 10
eight inches, because Of lack Of hu.
mus. and because OF their fine tex
ure. Lime causes floccu,stion in
soils. that is, i, tends to cement the
tiny soil particles together, forming
larger particles. thus attording bet
ter drainage. seration and cultivation.
The organic matter and humus are
held in the soil by lime and do not
wash very readily At the same time
lime hasiens the decay OF organic mat
ter. thus hbera,ing nitrogen which is
so essential for early growth. The
lesumes remove a large amount OF
calcium from the soil Limestone is
rich in calcium.
After al is said and done. the pri-
rlsry reason for the application Of
lime IS TO correct our soils Bacteria
cannot live in sour soils. Where le-
gumes S-e grown OF acid soils no nj.
frozen will he fixed in the soil and
only a small yield ot hay is possible
Two tons Of limestone. pulveriIed 10
pass through qusrter-inch mesh,
should te applied per acre once every
four ySnrs- There IS 4 number o!
WAYS TO svread the lime !; may BE
spread broadcast ~ hand. applied
w;,h an manure spreader or few
shovelsful al q time mixed with the
manure as il is made and then spread
II spread with 4 manure spreaGer.
straw should Be naixei with the lime
to insure proper feeding and an even
spread. One hundred pounds o. lime
every thir;y-five tees makes a two
ton application per acre. The lime can
easily be thrown feet with a shovel.
Always apply the liEs on the sa--
face Of TIE soil and disk 1t in. It
teaches 10 the su5so.l quickly enough.
A numoer @: our farmers have use5
hne and have g-own fine clover
whore il was i-n2oSsih,e % rrow II
Netore they applied TIE lime The
lime should be applied to TIE crop
previous to the clover. o. a; leas; ,wo
weeks Nefo7e TIRE clover s seeded.
TIE typese;;sr made a mistake las,
wess n the directions FOR tire acii
lest s1d It is here corrected. Wha-e
r7rriSt'c acid Is rourei on e sample
~ scil tNai g acii no aaaN'es OF gas
viii Ne seer. = - scid seems 70 el.
fe,, the so.l. line !s present.
vcu'i Ike % have IN, formers
ss'd n some Questions &c - answered
ih-ungA this column Address your
questions 10 hoJ 80. Marion. Nv.