INTRODUCTION 



application are important considerations to 

 us. There are many details of knowledge, 

 it is true, and yet all fit into a rational 

 scheme that shows itself to be simple 

 enough when the facts arrange themselves 

 in an orderly way in our minds. 



Lime cannot take the place of nitrogen, 

 nor phosphorus, nor any other of the essen- 

 tial plant foods. It is not a substitute for 

 any other essential factor in plant growth. 

 It would be folly to try to depend upon 

 lime as a sole source of soil fertility. On 

 the other hand, we have learned very defi- 

 nitely within the last quarter of a century 

 that it is foolish to depend upon commer- 

 cial fertilizers and tillage ancl good seeds 

 for full production of most crops from 

 great areas of our farming country that 

 have a marked lime deficiency. The 

 obvious need of our soils is the rich organic 

 matter that clover and grass sods could fur- 

 nish, and their fundamental need is lime. 

 Most farms cannot possibly make full 

 returns to their owners until the land's 

 hunger for lime has been met. The only 

 question is that regarding the best way of 

 meeting it. 



