THE MORE COMMON ELEMENTS AND COMPOUNDS 25 



Thus we may apply limestone (CaCO 3 ) to an acid soil (containing 

 organic acids, silicic acid, or acid silicates) , and the soil acids will 

 take the base (calcium), and the liberated carbonic acid will break 

 in two, the gas carbon dioxid (CO 2 ) passing out of the soil into the 

 air and thus leaving the soil with no acid in it. 



