Oftentimes personal preference determines the selection of the form of lime 

 to be purchased. When the haul from the depot to the farm is a long one, 

 the unit cost of calcium oxide equivalent would be more favorable for the hy- 

 drated lime, and the same may be said with reference to its distribution in the 

 field. On the other hand, the ground limestone may be applied in the field with 

 much less discomfort. 



It is usually good practice to buy collectively; that is, by several farmers 

 ordering together, thus securing the advantage of much cheaper freight by car 

 lot shipments. When located sufficiently near a lime plant to permit economical 

 truck delivery, oftentimes a considerable saving can be made by this system of 

 shipment. If shipment by rail is deemed more economical, it is usually desirable 

 to write to several firms asking for quotations on 20- or 25-ton car lots de- 

 livered at the consumer's R. R. station. An example follows where it is assumed 

 that two groups of farmers, one located in Whately and the other in Leominster, 

 are in the market for a 25-ton car of lime and want to know whether fine 

 ground limestone or hydrated lime is the more economical product to buy. The 

 Whately group wants the high magnesium product, while the Leominster 

 group prefers the high calcium product. They secure quotations f. o. b. at 

 destination, and by reference to the lime bulletin obtain data as to the compo- 

 sition of each product. The table which follows illustrates the mode of cal- 

 culating and assembling the data from which a choice of lime product may be 

 intelligently and economically made. 



■Magnesium oxide x 1.39 -r calcium oxide. 



Note: The ton cost of the product delivered at the farm, divided by the pounds of calcium 

 oxide equivalent in one ton, and multiplied by 100, gives the cost of 100 pounds of calcium oxide 

 equivalent. 



Lime Definitions and Interpretations. 



The following definition and interpretation of lime products used in agricul- 

 ture were adopted as official by the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists 

 at their meeting in November, 1932. 



Net Weights. The weights appearing on packages of fertilizer, agricultural 

 lime and liming material shall always mean net weights. 



