314 Bulletin 179. 



Acid soils must not always be associated with poor crops. Some 

 acid soils produce very poor crops, others luxuriant crops. The 

 most thrifty cornfield seen during the season was growing on very 

 acid or sour soil. The same was also true with potatoes. Experi- 

 ments show that both corn and potatoes are not affected by acid in 

 the soil. Potatoes grown on acid soil were better, smoother, less 

 scabby and diseased than those grown on soil not acid. Many clover 

 fields were tested and most of them showed acid, but usually the 

 best fields would have the least acidity. Generally, common plan- 

 tain and sorrel would be sure indications of free acid in the soil. 



Was the use of lime beneficial ? — Since the presence of acid 

 in the soil was found to be so common, it was thought best to try the 

 use of lime for correcting this acidity ; it was applied at the rate of 

 two tons per acre, in some cases quicklime slaked on the field, in " 

 others air-slaked lime. Thirty-one field tests were thus made. 

 Several months after this application these soils were found to be just 

 about as acid, producing the same change of the litmus-paper as the 

 adjacent soils which had not been limed. The use of lime by itself 

 gave very good results in seven cases, injurious results in three cases, 

 and indifferent results in twenty-one cases. When used in connec- 

 tion with fertilizers, the results were in five cases very good, in 

 four injurious, and in twenty-two indifferent. In two cases the 

 use of lime was followed by an injurious effect upon the physical 

 condition of the soil, consisting of clay loams, tending to make them 

 hard and lumpy, rather than loose and friable. 



That the use of lime was not more often followed by marked fav- 

 orable results may be due to the fact that the application was not 

 large enough, or that it had not in that short time become thoroughly 

 mixed in the soil. Its use is worth further trial and more serious studv. 



Circular of instructions. — In 1898 and '99 a special circular of 

 instruction was sent to each farmer who was carrying on experi- 

 mental work with fertilizers. 



The following is one of the circulars which was sent out in the 

 spring of '99 and returned in the fall. Spaces were left for record- 

 ing the summer's work and these were filled out by the experimenter 

 according to the directions. That part of the circular printed in 

 italics constitutes the actual report of the experimenter. 



