510 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



more prevalent than usually supposed, and which se- 

 riously interferes with such availability for organic 

 nitrogen. It promotes alkaline soil conditions for the 

 increase of bacteria which are the life of the soil, are 

 necessary for decomposition of organic matter and 

 that are essential for accumulating valuable stores of 

 nitrogen direct from the air, enriching the soil without 

 cost. 



Lime also unlocks potash from unavailable com- 

 pounds natural in the soil or that may be applied. It 

 improves the physical conditions of the soil, heavy 

 clays are made more porous for necessary entrance of 

 moisture and air, while, strange as it may seem, sandy 

 soils are made more compact and retentive of moisture 

 by it. By its varied advantages decidedly increased root 

 growth is given plants with therefore greater feeding 

 capacity and consequent perfection of plant develop- 

 ment. 



But in lime the form is of utmost importance, it 

 should be practically pure, containing only a very 

 small percentage of silica and magnesia, even a slight 

 excess of the latter is injurious to some plants. Much 

 of the lime on the market is impure, often to the ex- 

 tent of 25 per cent, or more. Then some manufactur- 

 ing waste lime contains boracic acid or other very 

 poisonous elements to plant life. 



Burnt or caustic lime is the chemical opposite to 

 the carbonate in action on nitrogen ; the former in- 

 jurious and destroys to a costly extent beyond its 

 usual price, while the carbonate makes nitrogen more 

 available by direct action without injuring it, in fact, 

 conserves this nitrogen against loss that would occur 

 if it were not present, as shown by limestone soils 

 maintaining their fertilit}- for centuries. Burnt lime, 

 while air slaking or hydrating, becomes recarbonated 

 very slowly, may take a year or two for so doing, and 

 so may occasion a crop loss for the season. And it 

 is a mistake to suppose hydrated lime is harmless, as 

 it is more caustic in its action on nitrogen than fresh 

 burnt lime, besides it always carries 25 per cent, of 

 useless water at the price. 



The carbonate is non-caustic, will not injure grow- 

 ing plants by contact, seeds will sprout and grow in 

 it when pure, and no excess is injurious for general 

 soil conditions, some famous fertile soils carry 40 per 

 cent, of it naturally. It has been proven that an abun- 

 dant supply of lime in contrast with a sufficient sup- 

 ply to produce good plant growth has thereby in- 

 creased the protein (food value) content over 25 per 

 cent, of that plant. Sulphate of lime, gypsum or land 

 plaster, as variously called, is often impure, will not 

 readily correct acidity and by practical growing tests 

 shows nothing fa"\'orable in comparison with use of 

 the carbonate. 



What does all this mean? \\'hy, for the above rea- 

 sons the grower long relying solely on manure for 

 fertilizer purposes will obtain under general conditions 

 and for most plants surprising development, such as 

 he has rarely seen, by a fair treatment with finely 

 powdered pure carbonate of lime — production of more 

 blooms, of larger size, of brighter colors and greater 

 fragrance, and corresponding improvement in quan- 

 tity and quality of vegetables, notably as to flavor. 



And if the soil contains a suitable amount of humus 

 or organic matter and carbonate of lime with proper 

 aeration, a fair application is made of a _ non-acid 

 forming complete fertilizer, of properly balanced 

 formula of all available elements, guarded against 

 wastage of nitrogen by an absorbent of it. still better 

 results will be obtained than above mentioned, more 



readily and in quicker time, with relatively small 

 amount used. Surely such possibilities are worth ex- 

 perimenting with. These results are being approxi- 

 mated or actually realized by progressive horticultur- 

 ists and farmers. But in buying commercial fertilizers 

 this advice is good. In view of their trade standards, 

 manufacturers should be compelled to furnish a writ- 

 ten statement as to the forms their various elements 

 are in, if organic nitrogen, a full statement as to that. 

 The crop result obtained when wanted for a given 

 amount used is the true \'alue of a fertilizer and not 

 the analvsis stated. 



REJUVENATING THE GRAPE VINE. 



By J. W. Smith. 



The longevity of the grape vine is traditional. Speci- 

 mens are on record that have passed the century mark 

 and are still giving satisfactory returns. Few subjects 

 in cultivation are more easily influenced by surrounding 

 conditions than the grape vine ; if conditions are satis- 

 factory as regards soil and air, and the crops regulated 

 systematically, the vine will continue to give good results 

 for a very long period. One often sees or hears of grape 

 vines that are considered to be worn out and don't ap- 

 pear to be worth further cultivation, skanked berries, 

 unhealthy, weak growth, the usual signs of unsatisfac- 

 tory conditions. In many cases it is the food supply that 

 is lacking on the vine's means of making use of it that 

 is out of order. The grape vine is a heavy feeder, and 

 to expect satisfactory crops year by year the food supply 

 must be regular ; the vine root, unless carefully cared for, 

 is short lived, careful attention as to watering and suit- 

 able rooting medium are required to preserve them for 

 any length of time. If vines are planted in a soil which 

 contains large quantities of organic manure and humus 

 the vines will make a tremendous quantity of root of a 

 class that will be difficult to keep in a healthy state, the 

 resultant growth will be sapping and badly balanced, 

 and the whole system will be liable to rapidly deteriorate 

 under the stream of cropping. \ ines that show signs 

 of getting worn out can be made to give satisfactory re- 

 turns bv renewing the rooting medium and encourage 



.\NXIE\T GRAPE \"I\E .\T H.\MPTOX COURT. LOXDOX, ENG. 



