CHAPTER II 

 THE LIME IN SOILS 



Limestone Land. Soil analyses are serv- 

 iceable only within certain limits, and in 

 the case of the normal soils that comprise 

 the very great part of the entire humid 

 region of the United States the practical 

 man gives little heed to what special analy- 

 ses might show him when deciding upon 

 the purchase of a farm. He does know, 

 however, that a limestone soil has great 

 natural strength, and recovers from mis- 

 treatment more readily than land low in 

 lime. It has staying powers, and is depend- 

 able, unless through natural processes the 

 lime leaches out or loses availability. All 

 limestone areas have gained reputation for 

 themselves as producers of grain and grass. 



Other Calcareous Soils. It is not only 

 the limestone areas that stand high in 

 esteem. There are types of soil with every 

 varying percentage of lime down to clear 

 sand or to peat, and some of the types are 

 finely calcareous, containing such a high 



