FERTII.I/I:KS. 13 



WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY LIME. 



Although there are a few crops that prefer a slightly acid soil, for the most 

 part a soil that is neutral or slightly alkali is more favourable for crop production. 

 Soil-acidity tests are made to determine whether lime is required. The litmus is 

 the most common test for this purpose. If a good quality blue litmus-paper is 

 secured from a druggist and a strip pressed against the moist surface of the soil 

 under test, the paper will turn pink, either completely pink or pink in spots, if the 

 soil is acid. The rapidity with which the paper turns pink is a rough guide as to 

 the degree of acidity. A little experience may be necessary in knowing just what 

 shade is required to indicate acidity, as the paper will lose its blue colour even in 

 a neutral soil and turn purplish in colour, which may be mistaken for the proper 

 pink. 



The hydrochloric-acid test to determine the lime content of soils is made as 

 follows: Take 1 or 2 oz. of hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid) and dilute with equal 

 parts water. A handful of soil, preferably wet and worked into a mud-ball should 

 be tested by adding the hydrochloric acid. If unmistakable and distinct bubbling 

 takes place the soil almost invariably contains sufficient lime. If no 'bubbling occurs 

 lime is required. The amount of bubbling as a rule varies directly with the lime 

 content of the soil. 



FORMS OF LIME AND THEIR COMPARATIVE VALUES. 



Quick or burnt lime, water-slaked or hydrated lime, and ground limestone rock 

 are the three forms chiefly used for agricultural purposes. The kind of lime to use 

 should be determined largely upon the basis of the amount of active lime (calcium 

 oxide) one can buy for the dollar. In order to determine this it should be 

 remembered that approximately 2,000 Ib. of finely ground limestone or old air-slaked 

 lime is required to equal 1,100 Ib. of burnt lime or 1,500 of fresh water-slaked lime. 

 With a delivered price on each, one can figure the cheapest form when hauled and 

 spread. On soils that are lacking in vegetable matter the use of ground limestone 

 is recommended. The burnt lime or fresh water-slaked lime causes a too rapid decay 

 of vegetable matter. On peaty soils the latter forms are superior. On such soils 

 there is a surplus of vegetable matter. Any treatment that will encourage the decay 

 of the vegetable matter will release plant-food and is therefore beneficial. 



GUARANTEES. 



To aid the purchaser of fertilizers the Dominion Government has enacted a law 

 whereby it is made illegal for -any manufacturer or manufacturer's agent to offer 

 for sale any fertilizer without giving a guarantee of the amount of plant-food 

 constituents contained therein. The purchaser will do well to remember that, no 

 matter how complex the guarantee may be, the valuation should be on the three 

 items: (1) Nitrogen; (2) available phosphoric acid; (3) potash. This fact is 

 recognized in fertilizer formulas written as 3-7-9. The meaning is that It contains 

 3 per cent, nitrogen, 7 per cent, phosphoric acid, and 9 per cent, potash. 



CALCULATION OF THE VALUE OF FERTILIZERS. 



Every farmer should be able to calculate the true market value of the fertilizer 

 he purchases. The preference on the part of many to purchase mixed fertilizers is 

 not to be discouraged, providing the price is in proportion to its various constituents 

 if these were purchased singly. The manufacturers have facilities for mixing that 

 the average farmer does not possess. A nominal charge is always allowed for mixing. 



METHOD OF CALCULATING THE VALUE PER POUND OF ACTUAL 



PLANT-FOOD. 



In the case of purely chemical fertilizers the value of a fertilizer depends upon 

 the amount of nitrogen phosphoric acid and potash present. 



Nitrate of soda contains 15 per cent, nitrogen. One ton contains 15 per cent, of 

 2,000 Ib. or 15/100 of 2,000 = 300 Ib. If the commercial value of nitrate of soda is 

 $90 per ton, 300 Ib. of actual nitrogen costs $90. 



