109 



accompanying reproduction of a photograph of one of the 

 boxes taken at the close of the experiment. In the limed end 

 (to the right in the cut) the luxuriant lettuce fills the box, 

 almost hiding the radish tops from view, while in the unlimed 

 end the lettuce leaves are so small as to be almost hidden by 

 the sides of the box, and it was necessary to press aside the 

 radish leaves to show them at all. 



The results obtained by Mr. Orr are somewhst contradic- 

 tory, and in interpreting them it should be borne m mind that 

 the lime was applied quite late in the Spring (March 2), and 

 that the greenhouse experiments show that it had not had 

 time to lose its iojarious caustic eftects by April 1, when most 

 of the planting was done. Then, too, the date of planting was 

 too late for the best success with a number of the crops planted . 

 The strikingly good results with corn, tomatoes, lettuce, and 

 tobacco indicate the advisability of continued experiments 

 with lime in this region, or at any other points in the State 

 where the soil gives an acid reaction. At Auburn our soils 

 seem to be almost or quite neutral, and so far, field experiments 

 with lime have given no striking results. The reaction of the 

 soil can be easily and quickly tested by any one, by pressing 

 into its moistened surface slips of litmus paper such as can be 

 found at most drug stores. If the soil is acid the blue paper 

 will be turned red, if it is alkaline the red paper will be turned 

 blue, and if it is neutral or nearly neutral neither color will be 

 changed. 



The freedom of the tomatoes on the heavily limed plot 

 from Blight, or Bacteriosis, a disease that is very prevalent 

 and destructive in our southern counties, is especially note- 

 worthy, since it goes to corroborate the result of some experi- 

 ments with this disease conducted by the writer at the Ocean 

 Springs branch of the Mississippi Experiment Station.* In 

 all cases where it has been tried, heavy applications of lime 



seem to have had a decidedly beneficial eftect in preventing 

 this dreaded disease. 



F. S. EARLE. 

 Auburn, Ala., Feb. 18, 1898. 



*See 6th Annual Report of the Mississippi Experiment Station, pp. 

 53-61. 



