54 FARM AND SCHOOL PROBLEMS. 



The use of agricultural lime has been growing at a remark- 

 able rate according to the statements made by some of the ex- 

 periment stations. 



According to a statement from Purdue University the use of 

 lime in 1911 exceeded the amount (total) used in the three pre- 

 ceding years. 



Great care should be taken in teaching the use of lime to 

 have the student understand that lime will not take the place of 

 a fertilizer. 



1. He should understand thoroughly that the full effect of 

 lime will only be obtained on land that is well fertilized 

 or manured. 



2. Lime is not a fertilizer, but it is one of the essential 

 elements of plant food. 



3. Red clover. or alfalfa are a good index to denote the 

 supply of lime. Each of these legumes contains several 

 times as much lime as any of the cereals, hence they are 

 the first to indicate the deficiency of lime. 



Superiority of Ground Limestone. 



Experiments by The Pennsylvania and Maryland stations 

 tend to show the superiority of carbonate of lime over burned 

 lime. 



A 20 Years' Experiment. 



In Pennsylvania, plats receiving 2 tons of ground limestone 

 once in 2 years, produced greater total yields and showed more 

 nitrogen and humus in the soil than adjoining plats which had 

 been treated with 2 tons of slaked burned lime per acre once in 

 4 years. 



Care in Using Quick Lime. 



Quick or hydrated lime should not be applied within a week 

 of planting time because it may injure the young plants. 



There is danger that this kind of lime may hasten the burn- 

 ing out of organic matter or humus in the soil. 



It is caustic and destructive in its effects. 



One ton of quick lime will correct as much acidity as two 



