DIVISION OF HORTICULTURE 



585 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 

 EXPERIMENTS WITH GROUND LI:MEST0NE IN THE GREENHOUSE. 



A sample of ground limestone was received from the Eastern Lime Co., Sydney, 

 N.S., and in order to test its value on our soil a sexies of small areas was limed at 

 the rate of 3,000 pounds per acre, and duplicate plots left untreated. 



The results given are from half a square yard, and are sufficiently striking to 

 indicate that lime, together with phosphorus in some form is necessary to produce 

 satisfactory results with some crops. The data secured were with a crop of spinach. 



The soil used in this test was from a newly brokcn-up. field area not previously 

 cropped. 



Of particular interest is the result obtained from nitrate of soda alone at the rate 

 of 300 pounds per acre, which is very little better than the check plot, and also the 

 plot where nitrate of soda and sulphate of potash were used, which was but slightly 

 better than the check plot. These plots, as compared with plot 5, where nitrate of 

 soda and acid phosphate were used, indicate that acid phosphate together with lime 

 gave the best results, and that acid phosphate without the lime did not materially 

 increase the crop. 



The illustration shows the spinach plots about one-half grown. The plots com- 

 mence with number one at the farther end of the bench. The space between the 

 stakes across the bench was given commercial fertilizer evenly spread over the whole 

 area. Lime was applied and worked into the soil in which the three rows to the right 

 of the illustration are growing. No lime was applied to the soil in which the three 

 rows to the left are growing. 



Kentville. 



