Right Use of Lime in Soil Improvement   By: Alva Agee (1858-1943)

By ALVA AGEE

[Illustration: Applying Lime]

Secretary New Jersey State Department of Agriculture

Formerly director of agricultural extension in the Pennsylvania State College and New Jersey State College of Agriculture.

Illustrated

NEW YORK ORANGE JUDD COMPANY

LONDON KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., LIMITED

1919

Copyright 1919, by ORANGE JUDD COMPANY

All Rights Reserved

Printed in U. S. A.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. THE LIME IN SOILS 4

3. SOUR SOILS 10

4. EVIDENCES OF ACIDITY 15

5. TESTS FOR ACIDITY 20

6. SOURCES OF LIME 24

7. DEFINITIONS 28

8. GROUND LIMESTONE 33

9. STORING LIME IN THE SOIL 38

10. FRESH BURNED LIME 44

11. BURNING LIME 49

12. LIME HYDRATE 53

13. OTHER FORMS OF LIME 57

14. MAGNESIAN LIME 64

15. WHAT SHALL ONE BUY? 68

16. METHODS OF APPLICATION 78

17. AMOUNT OF LIME PER ACRE 82

18. SPECIAL CROP DEMANDS 86

ILLUSTRATIONS

Applying Lime Frontispiece

FACING PAGE

I. Clover and Timothy Unfertilized at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station Yielded 2,460 pounds per acre 10

II. Clover and Timothy with Fertilizer alone at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station Yielded 3,900 pounds per acre 11

III. Clover and Timothy with Lime alone at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station Yielded 4,900 pounds per acre 14

IV. Clover and Timothy with Fertilizer and Lime at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station yielded 6,290 pounds per acre 15

V. Limed and Unlimed Ends of a Plot at the Ohio Experiment Station 16

VI. Effect of Finely Pulverized Limestone on Clover in a Soil having a Lime Requirement of 5,200 Pounds of Limestone per Acre, at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station 17

VII. Lime Favors Clover at the Ohio Experiment Station 24

VIII. Lime Affects Growth of Corn at the Ohio Experiment Station 25

IX. An Indiana Limestone Quarry 32

X. A Limestone Plant 33 (Courtesy of the Michigan Limestone Company.)

XI. A Limestone Pulverizer for Farm Use 38 (Courtesy of the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, Columbus, Ohio.)

XII. A Lime Pulver in Operation 39 (Courtesy of the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company.)

XIII. Laying Foundation for a Lime Stack at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station 48

XIV. A Stack nearly Completed at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station 49