The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1922-08-03
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LIME ON SOILS
1890 60 ~ . . % &c
(By J. T. Fuller, Chief Inspector Feed.
Seed and Fertilizer Division, De-
partment Of Agriculture.)


Seed and Fertilizer Division, De-
partment Of Agriculture.)
In my travels over the state I am
frequently questioned in regard to
the use Of lime on soils. My answ-
ers have been prompted by some 40
years experience Of farming and
stock raising.
have in mind field of some 20
acres in my home community, on
which it seemed an impossibility to
get clover to grow. For number Of
years every effort had failed, despite
good preparation, careful seeding
and good seasons.
Acting under the advice Of an agent
of the United States Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D. G., the
tleld was plowed in December and
January and 1900 bushels of burnt
lime were evenly scattered over the
20 acres in February, A grain crop
was sown in May with clover and a
fine set of clover resulted over every
square rod in the 20-acre field. The
next spring people stopped in passing
the road to admire fine field of
clover that lodged before it bloomed.
The difference in ground limestone
and burnt lime is simply this: You can
not put on enough ground limestone
to injure the soil, as it disintegrates
slowly, and is taken up by the planet
roots as needed. Burnt lime acts at
once, and if applied too freely will
burn out the humus in the soil before
the plants have time to gain any
benefit.
The United States Department Of
Agriculture at Washington will tell
you that lime acts on soil like soda
in your bread. Just enough soda
gives you a good wholesome loaf; any
more is liable to show bad effects.
Sixty bushels of burnt lime per acre
is sufficient to sWeeten the sourest
soil and put it in condition to grow
all legume crops. Pastures need lime
just the same as cultivated crops need
it.
Whether to use ground limestone
or burnt lime depends entirely on
which is the most convenient and
cheapest to the individual farmer
Many farmers owning a woodland
where there is considerable amount
of timber Of little or no value can
very profitably put all their waste
logs and trees unfit for other use to
profitable purpose by using them
in burning lime. Twelve cords is the
rule to 1000 bushels.
Most farmers have idle time in
which no work can be done in the
fields, and the idle farm laborer can
be employed in preparing the wood,
getting out the stone, building the
kiln, and then the lime can be APP
piled in the time other work can not
be done. There is scarcely a neigh
borhood in the state where limestone
rock is found that you can not find
some person who can give you any
desired in regard toll
building and burning a lime kiln.
| have seen lime scattered over thin
places in old pasture fields, where the
Grass was practically all gone, and in
the course of IL months the white
clover and blue grass could be seen
gradually coming back and forming a
fine sod
The International Harvester Com
pany, Chicago, has a bulletin for free
distribution that should be read and
studied by every farmer in Tonnes
see. They give some valuable sug-
gestions in regard to burning lime
with stone coal, which might be
followed by farmers not
having the wood and convenient as
.he coal.