The Canadian Horticulturist. 419 



Briefly all soils deficient in calcareous matter, stiff clays, and sour peaty 

 soils are particularly responsive to its application. Stiff clays are lightened and 

 rendered warmer and more friable, and the soluble plant foods are increased by 

 quicklime ; whilst, on the other hand, the retentive power of light sandy soils is 

 increased by the addition of slaked lime (calcium hydrate), chalk (carbonate of 

 calcium), or marl. On soils containing a large amount of peat, quick or slaked 

 lime, it is of great value, counteracting the " sourness " due to excess of organic 

 acids, and assisting the decomposition of woody fibre, etc. There is another 

 case in which lime may be applied with very marked results, namely, to old 

 garden ground which has year after year received heavy dressings of farmyard 

 manure, and which have become sour and profitless. Mr. J. Wright, in a paper 

 read before the Royal Horticultural Society in 1889, described a striking but 

 by no means uncommon instance of this. When he took possession of the 

 garden in question, he found it like a mass of humus, nothing would grow satis- 

 factorily, the soil being "poisoned with humic acid." He gave it a good dose 

 of lime (a bushel per rod), together with potash and bone-meaL " The effect," 

 says Mr. Wright, " was magical, and the crops of potatoes and peas, where they 

 would not grow before, were remarkable." The late Mr. Shirley Hibberd, on 

 the conclusion of the above paper, remarked on the too frequent neglect of lime 

 as a corrective of acidity ; and Mr. G. Wythes — than whom, perhaps, no one 

 knows better how old garden soils should be treated — expressed himself in favor 

 of lime, soot, and wood-ashes, where organic manures alone had been given for 

 a long series of years. 



As a general rule as indicated above, quick-lime (put on in its caustic condi- 

 tion, or slaked by adding water, or by leaving it exposed to the atmosphere for 

 a time), is preferable for heavy soils, and may be applied at the rate of from 

 two to nine tons per acre. It should never be applied with manure containing 

 ammonia, the latter being liable to be driven off thereby. 



Chalk is suitable for light sandy soils, and can be given in about twice as 

 heavy dressings as caustic lime. 



Marls, being variable mixtures of carbonate of lime and clay, are suited to 

 light land, the dressing being regulated by the proportion of lime contained. 



Gypsum, or sulphate of calcium can be used with ordinary manure, as it is 

 a " fixer " of ammonia. 



Gas Lime, is simply slaked lime which has been used in the purification of 

 of coal-gas. It contains, when fresh from the works, calcium sulphide and 

 sulphite, and these substances are injurious to plants. After exposure to air, 

 however, they are oxidised and form sulphate of lime (gypsum), and conse- 

 quently become innocuous. Gas-lime is useful for mixing in the "rot-heap,' 

 hastening the decomposition of leaves, weeds, etc. 



It should be remembered that bones, bone-meal, dissolved bones, and 

 superphosphate all contain more or less calcium ; therefore, liming is not so 

 necessary where any of these are applied in quantity. —Gardener's Chronicle. 



