CHAPTER IX 



LIME AND MISCELLANEOUS FERTILIZERS 



261. Calcium an Essential 

 Element of Plant Food. Cal- 

 cium is present in the ash of 

 all plants, and is usually more 

 abundant in soils than phos- 

 phorus or potassium. It takes 

 an essential part in plant 

 growth, and whenever with- 

 held growth is checked. The 

 effect of withholding calcium 

 is shown in the illustration 

 (Fig. 43), which gives the 

 total growth made by an oat 

 plant under such a condition. 



Plants grown on soils defi- 

 cient in calcium compounds 

 lack hardiness. They are not 

 so able to withstand drought 

 or unfavorable climatic condi- 

 tions as plants grown on soils 

 well supplied with this element. 

 Calcium does not accumulate 

 in the seeds of plants, but is 

 present mainly in the leaves 



223 



FIG. 43. 



Oat Plant grown with- 

 out Calcium. 



