THe JOURNAI9 



or 



Tfie department of Mgncufture 



VICTORIA. 



Vol. X. Part 10. loth Oetober, 1912. 



LIME I\ AGRICULTURE. 

 I. 



Introduction. 

 By the Director of Agriculture {Di. S. S. Cameron). 



It has become almost a commonplace to say, in respect of a large pro- 

 portion of land in this State, that it would be the better for a dose of lime. 

 In many ways, both direct and indirect, the liming of land has a proven 

 beneficial influence in both the maintenance and enhancement of soil fer- 

 tility. 



It is die function of the agricultural specialists to explain and make clear 

 the varied actions, physical, chemical and biological, as the case may be, 

 b} which lime produces its beneficial effects ; but in a foreword to a serie.s 

 of articles on the subject by officers of the Department, it may not be out 

 of place to indicate the character of the efi^ort that is being made by tbe 

 Department to demonstrate the exact value of lime in agricultural practice, 

 and for the guidance of agriculturists in the profitable and economical use 

 of it. 



Hitherto the use of lime in this State has oftentimes been regarded by 

 many practical agriculturists as an expensive luxury, and much the same in- 

 credulity has been expressed concerning its benefits as a regular means of 

 maintaining or increasing soil fertility, as was voiced regarding the use of 

 superphosphate at the time of its first introduction by Professor Cunstance 

 of the Roseworthy Agricultural College (S.A.), and, indeed, until the ex- 

 periments conducted by Mr. A. N. Pearson, formerly Chemist for Agri- 

 culture of this State, placed its value beyond doubt, and demonstrated 

 the profitable quantities in which it could be economically and regularly 

 used. 



The fact is, that in the evolution of agriculture in this State, and from 

 the stand-point of soil fertility, we have not yet quite reached unto the 

 third stage. Our first was the cultivation of virgin land, unassisted by 

 manure of any kind. The second stage was reached when it was realized 

 that the surface soils of this continent were below the average in phosphatic 

 content, and by frequent cropping became quickly depleted to a point below 



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