Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-05-31
WISCONSIN HAS VAST
DEPOSITS OF LIME
This Acid Soil Improver Appears
in Many Different
Forms.
By H. w. ULLsPERGER,
Wisconsin College of Agriculture.

Among other natural resources
| Wisconsin has lime deposits which, If
developed. would mean thousands OF
dollars to her farmers.
| Fully 80 per cent of the farmers OF
the state realize the Importance and
necessity of lime in the growing of
legume crops and increasing yields OF
other crops, yet the seemingly in
surmountable difficulty of securing
lime has prevented them from using
any or only small amounts on their
farms.
Most of the agricultural limestone
used today comes from quarries To-
Gated principally in eastern Wisconsin
where limestone rock is abundant.
Some of these quarries produce agri-
cultural limestone only as a sideline,
deriving their main income from stone
manufactured for building or road pur-
poses. The margin of profit is usually
quite small, and large volume of
business is necessary to permit any
company to operate successfully.
Limestone at the quarry costs from
$1.40 to 1925 a ton, depending on fine
ness of grinding and amount of mois-
ture present. The freight cost quite
often equals the original cost of the
limestone, varying from so cents to
81 ton, depending on distance
shipped.
The average cost of ton of lime
stone at central Wisconsin points is
approximately So to $3.50 a ton at the
railroad station. A car contains from
30 to 80 tons and it must be unloaded
within 48 hours. For if delayed, the
demurrage charges are 50 a day. The
car may arrive when roads are bad,
which means extra work in unloading
the car, dumping the limestone on the
railroad right of way, or any other
convenient place and hauling later,
after it has soaked up considerable
moisture, which may mean 25 to so
per cent increase in weight and added
hauling costs.
Cost May Be Prohibitive.
An individual farmer cannot unload
30 to so ton car of limestone and
haul it any distance in two days. This
leads to grouping of farmers for con-
venience in unloading. Someone must
weigh the loads and distribute the
losses in proper proportion. The local
merchants or dealers do not care to do
this, except as an accommodation. No
local dealer can handle this bulky
product at profit sufficient to pay
overhead. Even with the short mar
gins of profit nearly every ton pur-
chased and used in Wisconsin under
this method costs the farmer at least
So ton to secure it and spread it on
his land.
Short cuts in handling have been de-
yised. For instance, the Kilbourn
Equity Exchange, a cooperative COM
pany, unloads the limestone into an
elevator handling it like grain, keeping
a supply on hand at all times. This
is quite a convenience. No hurry to
unload, haul only when roads are good,
less labor cost in unloading, no de-
murrage, limestone always dry, are
some of the advantages of this plan.
More such places must be established.
Many localities in Wisconsin are
from 8 to Is miles from a railroad sta
ton. This is too long a haul for lime
stone to use in quantities. Fortunately
many of these localities have other
sources.
One County Solves Problem.
Under the leadership of County
Agent James Lacey, Green Lake coun-
ty installed a lime grinder. A large
portion of this county has limestone
rock everywhere; limestone rock out
crops; limestone fences; even lime
stone in the fields, YET. queer as it may
seem, these soils were acid and needed
lime to grow alfalfa. Demonstration
plots to show the value of lime on al
falfa were established. This created
a demand. Next a private individual
bought a portable crusher, operated
with tractor. He moved from farm
to farm. Fences made of limestone
were pulverized and the crushed rock
spread over the land; limestone piles
in the field disappeared and in their
place were green alfalfa and clover
fields. Farmers realized the value of
this crusher, formed a cooperative
group and bought the crusher, thus
continuing the good work.
What are the costs? The actual cost
of grinding is usually the same as in
the commercial quarry, at any rate, not
less; but there is no freight, no de-
murrage, no unloading in limited
time, less hauling, less handling, lime
stone always conveniently at hand in
a suitable form.
Southern Wisconsin has quite num-
Der of these crushers. There are a
number of prerequisites to establishing
such crushers. First, the locality must
determine the soil need for lime by
acidity tests through county agents or
other means second, there must be a
demand for crushed limestone to In
sure steady operations, and third,
there must be sufficient limestone rock
of good quality.
Many eastern and southern Wiscon-
sin localities have the needed lime
stone rock for crushers, but many of
their soils do not need lime. Careful
soil tests of every farm are necessary
to determine their lime requirements.
Some localities are discussing local
erushers where there is no demand for
lime. These ventures are doomed to
70 fYI1y@a of tho start