60 Journal of the Mitchell Society [Octoher 



Later by successive additions of it to a field, the magnesia might 

 be increased to an injurious extent, but this could be avoided 

 by the occasional use of lime carbonate. Companies quarrying 

 this material might utilize some of their wasted stone dust by 

 selling it for this purj^ose. The burned dolomite is strongly 

 caustic and should not be put on the land. 



Hydrated Lime. — This form greatly hastens vegetable decay 

 and often causes waste leading toward exhaustion of the organic 

 content of the soil. When it is applied therefore, more organic 

 matter such as barnyard compost, legume crops, etc., must be 

 added except on soils containing peat, etc. 



It corrects the acidity of the soil more quickly than other 

 forms of lime and may produce a better increase in the yield 

 during the first two or three years. For this reason it is fre- 

 quently used by tenants. 



On heavy clay soils this fomi is the most effective in pro- 

 ducing a good granular, crumb-like structure and thus aids in 

 the retention of moisture near the surface. 



Lime Carbonate. — Ground limestone readily corrects the 

 acidity of the soil, assists greatly in producing a condition fav- 

 orable to the growth of nitrifying bacteria, and directly or indi- 

 rectly renders available other plant foods such as phosphoric 

 a;cid and potash. It changes vegetable materials into neutral 

 humus at once and concentrates their nitrogen. 



A liberal supply of lime carbonate added to orchard lands 

 will increase the sweetness of the fruit (grapes included) if the 

 lime was previously deficient in amount. 



Lime carbonate greatly increases the flocculation of soil parti- 

 cles into granules and thus improves the texture of the soil. 



Lime carbonate is useful in nearly every way in which lime 

 is valuable as a soil amendment. 



STJMMAEY AND CONCLUSIONS 



Lender average conditions plants use annually nearly half a 

 ton of lime carbonate per acre. 



The effectiveness of lime added to the soil depends very 

 largely on its fineness of grain (texture) and on its being 

 thoroly mixed with the soil. 



