The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-08-10
T0D|sTMBuTE LINE
FREE TO FARMERS
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND
3. q o. RAILROAD TO RUN
SPECIAL TRAIN IN AUGUST.
SOILS. WILL Be TESTED

A special train, equipped with soil
testing apparatus and carrying quanti-
ties of lime for free distribution to
the farmers Of the State, will be op-
Grated by the Baltimore and, Ohio
Railroad in cooperation with the vni-
versity of Maryland and the United
States Department Of Agriculture dur
Ing the week Of August 20 to 2B, and
will be the means Of emnhasising the
value Of lime to agriculture.
The soil testing special" will be
operated over the lines Of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad, and will
make number OF stops in each Of the
counties through which the railroad
runs. A def2nite schedule Of stops at
points In Cecil. Hartford, Baltimore,
Anne Arundel, Prince Georges, How.
ard, Carroll. Frederick, Garrett. Ale
gany. Washington, and Montgomery
counties Is being arranged and will
be announced SO that farmers can
meet the train at the nearest stopping
point.
The train will be equipped with soil
testing apparatus and will stop at
each point long enough to test soil
samples brought in by the farmers.
This work will be under the direction
Of DR.. A. G. Mccall, head Of the de-
partment Of soils OF tAe University of
Maryland Experiment Station. The
proper amount OF lime for an acre of
ground as shown BY the test will be
given free Of charge to each farmer,
and will be unloaded from the supply
which the train will carry.
"The soil Of seventy-Ave cut Of
every hundred fields in Maryland is
sick for the lack OF lime. and must
have an application Of some form OF
lime bearing material before maximum
crops can be produced" says DR.. Nc
Call.
Fortunately Maryland offers q
variety Of limelbeariag materials,
many of which are being used as
course of agricultural lime" he con-
tinues. "The finished product is usu-
ally available as ~ raw pulverised
oyster shells, pulverized limestone and
mari; (2) burned limestone or oyster
shells: and (3) hydrated lime. To
apply these different forms In chem
ically equivalent amounts II is leces-
sary to make mach heavier applica-
tions Of the pulverized raw limestone
and the hydrated lime than Of the
burned form. For practical purposes
It Is SUFFICIENT to remember that one
ton of the burned lime IS equivalent
to one and half tons Of the hydrated
form or two tons Of the pulverized
raw limestone or oyster shells.
"In deciding which form Of lime to
use the farmer must take into consid-
Grafton not only the cost Of the ma
terial delivered to his station, but
also the cost Of hauling and handling
from the railroad station to the farm.
Farmers living near the station will
usually find 1t much more economical
to buy the low priced raw material
while those living from five to ten
miles distant may find 1t advantage
GUS to buy the more expensive con-
centrated forms.
Farmers In the counties through
which the soil testing special will
run are urged to have their soil tested
before wheat is seeded this fall. The
success of the hay crop which usually
follows the wheat Is particularly de-
pendent upon the condition Of the soil
with respect to acidity. If on the
other hand the lime requirement Of
the soil has been met, money should
be invested in fertilizer rather than
In lime.
Samples Of soil to be tested should
be taken from the field that lie to be
seeded to mixed grasses. clover or
alfalfa. A spade or shovel should be