6ro 



Journal ol A f-//i/////irc\ Mctoria. 



[lo Oct.. 1912. 



in character by the application of 

 a liberal dressing of lime. Lime 

 cau.ses the very fine particles of 

 silicate of alumina, which are re- 

 sponsible for the tendency of clay 

 soils to set hard, to coagulate or 

 curdle and aggregate into relatively 

 large particles. Thus the soil 

 becomes more open, its porosity 

 and permeability are increased, 

 and the soil tends to become drier, 

 more friable, and more easily 

 culti\ated. and thus more con- 

 genial conditions for the develop- 

 ment of the plants' roots are 

 provided. 



With light sandy soils quick- 

 lime should be used with discre- 

 tion. When, however, lime is ap- 

 ])lied to such soils in the form of 

 carbonate, it has the opposite 

 effect tO' that exerted on clay soils, 

 and tends to hold the soil particles 

 together, and to increase the capa- 

 city of the soil for retaining 

 moisture. 



/.line improves the biological 

 coudition of the soil. — On rich 

 peaty soils, lime may be u.sed 

 with considerable freedom. These 

 soils are very liable to become sour 

 owing to the decomposition of the 

 lai'ge amount of organic matter 

 they contain, and the consequent 

 formation of \arious organic acids. 

 This decomposition is brought 

 al)out through the agency of count- 

 less millions of microscopic 

 bacteria, and one may say that the 

 fertility of any given soil is very 

 largely dependent on the nature 

 and activity of the teeming bac- 

 terial population it holds. The 

 functions of some of these soil 

 germs have been discussed else- 

 where.* It need only be added 

 that the presence of adequate sup- 

 ])lies of lime in the form of car- 

 l)onate will insure in the soil a 

 vigorous and beneficial bacterial 

 flora, and will consequently en- 

 hance the fertility and productive 

 power of the soil. 



JoiirnaJ oj A/ricxIture (Victoria), Spptember. 1912. 



