DIYISIOX OF CHEMISTRY 



247 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



compounds by the rain. Soils rich in lime, other conditions being favourable, produce 

 a strong and vigorous vegetation of the highest nutritive qualities. 



A further very important chemical function is that of neutralizing acidity or 

 sourness, a frequent cause of failure, especially with clover, alfalfa and other legumes. 

 Very few farm crops will thrive in a sour soil, even if the acidity is not strongly 

 marked, and all do well on a neutral or slightly alkaline soil. From various causes — ■ 

 imperfect drainage, deficiency in lime, an excess of organic matter — many soils tend 

 to become sour; even upland soils at times exhibit this tendency and correction or 

 neutralization by lime becomes necessary to restore fertility. Herein lies, probably, 

 the most important function of lime in soil treatment. 



Biologically, lime is necessary for the development of soil bacteria, those minute 

 organisms present in large numbers in every fertile soil and to whose life and growth 

 are due the preparation of food for the use of higher plants — farm crops. Without 

 this bacterial life, a soil would indeed be 'dead'; with conditions favourable to its 

 development (and the presence of lime is one of them) we may utilize, in a very high 

 degree the stores of food, organic and mineral, largely inert as they occur in the soil. 

 for it is through this agency, chiefly perhaps, that these stores are attacked and made 

 to yield nourishment for crops. 



There is a use and an abuse in the application of lime. The endeavour to keep 

 up fertility by its frequent application without the addition of the essential elements 

 of plant food and humus-forming material, will undoubtedly lead to the soil's exhaus- 

 tion and diminished yields. There is ample proof in this country, as in other lands, 

 for this assertion. Because there is a response at first to liming, it must not be con- 

 cluded that productiveness can be maintained simply by this means. Rational farming 

 calls at times for lime and the intelligent farmer will recognize the conditions that 

 make its application desirable. It may then be depended on to give a profitable 

 return, but science and experience alike teach that sole dependence upon this means 

 results eventually in the running-out of the .land, and failure. 



In the following tabular scheme, we present the data obtained on certain samples 

 of marl examined during the year. 



Analysis of Marls (air-dried). 



Laboratory 

 No. 



11.213 

 12,1)09 

 13, 105 

 13,753 

 14,"53 

 14,102 



Locality. 



Antigonish, N.S . 



Pavilion, B.C.... 



Port Hope, Ont 



Lower West River, N.S 



Stf. Luce, Que 



Clydesdale, N.S 



Moi sture, organ ic 

 matter, etc. 



p-c. 



5 17* 

 5 25 

 18 97+ 

 416 

 616 

 646 



Carbonate of 

 Lime. 



P- 



81 

 89 

 80 

 81 

 87 

 85 



73 

 73 

 53 

 00 

 00 

 09 



Mineral 



matter insoluble 



in acid. 



p. c. 



13 10 



5 02 

 •50 



14 94 



6 81 

 854 



* Containing 5S per cent Ca S0 4 (calcium sulphate), 

 t Containing 16 11 per cent organic matter. 



No 11213. — From Mount Cameron, Antigonish, N.S. A yellowish, earthly 

 deposit, in small lumps and powder. Associated with the carbonate there is about 

 0-5 per cent of sulphate of lime. Though not of very high quality, it would prove 

 a useful amendment for all soils in need of lime. Its effect, no doubt, would be more 

 marked and immediate if the material were crushed, say to the condition of a coarse 

 powder. 



