CHAPTER IX 



LIME AND MISCELLANEOUS FERTILIZERS 



244. Calcium an Essential Element of Plant Food. 



— Calcium is present in the ash of all plants, and is 

 usually more abundant in soils than phosphorus or 



potassium. It takes an essential 

 part in plant growth, and when- 

 ever withheld growth is cheeked. 

 The effect of removing calcium 

 from the soil is shown in the illus- 

 tration (Fig. 33), which gives the 

 total growth made by an oat plant 

 under such a condition. 



Plants grown on soils deficient 

 in calcium compounds, lack hard- 

 iness. They are not so able to 

 withstand drought, or climatic 

 changes, as plants grown on soils 

 well supplied with this element. 

 Calcium does not accumulate 

 in the seeds of plants, but is pres- 

 ent mainly in the leaves and 

 stems where it takes an impor- 

 tant part in the production of new 

 tissue. The term lime is used in 

 speaking of the calcium oxide content of soils and crops. 



5i>- 



Fig. . 



Oat plant grown with- 

 out lime. 



