GROUND LIMESTONE FOR SOIL IMPROVE- 

 MENT* 



J. F. BARKER. 



" A limestone country is a rich country " is a saying long ago 

 common among British and European farmers; but the truth of the 

 maxim is just as well illustrated in the experiences of American 

 agriculture. There are within the United States certain large con- 

 tinuous areas of limestone land, regions in which the soil is derived 

 from the disintegration and decomposition of limestone rock. Some 

 of these sections, because of the productivity and durability of 

 their soils and the consequent prosperity of the farming population 

 have become famous agricultural districts. The Blue Grass region 

 of western Kentucky and Tennessee, on the whole one of the most 

 excellent farming sections in eastern United States, illustrates this 

 fact. Another notable example is the beautiful Shenandoah Valley 

 of Virginia and southeastern Pennsylvania, which is not an ordinary 

 river valley but a fold in the earth formed by a mountain chain on 

 either side. Massive beds of limestone have been formed in this 

 depression, and it is from these limestones that the famous soils of 

 the Shenandoah valley are derived. In Ohio that region through 

 which the Miami river flows is the most prosperous agricultural 

 section of the state, and here the character of the soil is largely 

 influenced by extensive beds of phosphatic limestone. 



But we have nearer at home just as forceful illustrations of the 

 proverb " A limestone country is a rich country," for in those sec- 

 tions of New York State in which extensive limestone formations 

 outcrop the soils are notably the best. A section of country from 

 Utica to Buffalo along the main lines of the New York Central and 

 West Shore railroads and varying in width from 10 to 30 miles is 

 the cream of the state. Throughout this region the glacial till con- 

 tains limestone gravel and boulders from the Onondaga and Niagara 

 formations. Here the soils are naturally adapted to alfalfa and here 

 is included the greater part of the fruit-growing districts of the 

 state. 



The excellence of limestone soils of course does not depend entirely 

 upon the carbonates (limestone) which they now contain. They are 

 usually well supplied with the mineral elements of fertility, and the 

 phosphorus in these soils may be somewhat more readily available 

 than in many others for the reason of its being present largely in 

 the form of calcium phosphate, whereas in other cases it may occur 

 mainly as iron or aluminum phosphate. 



* Reprint of Circular No. 27, January 20. 



[63] 



