RIGHT USE OF LIME IN SOIL IMPROVEMENT 



limestones do, but there are beds of chalky 

 marl that contain very little clay and sand 

 and are nearly a pure carbonate. It is only 

 marls of high degree of purity that can be 

 put on the market with profit, but beds of 

 less pure marl furnish dressings for farms 

 of the locality in many sections of the 

 country. Some of these inferior marls have 

 had so much clay and sand mixed with the 

 lime carbonate that dressings must be 

 heavy. The best lime marls provide excel- 

 lent material for the correction of soil 

 acidity, the actual value per ton being prac- 

 tically the same as that of the finest pul- 

 verized limestone. Some dealers in marl 

 make extravagant claims for their goods, 

 but any farmer may easily put these claims 

 to the test and learn that he should not ex- 

 pect more than a fairly good carbonate of 

 lime can do. 



Marl improves the physical condition of 

 stiff soils only when used in large amount 

 per acre, and this is true of any carbonate 

 form, such as limestone. Little effect upon 

 physical condition should be expected from 

 the light application usually given when 

 marl is purchased and transported some 

 distance to the farm. The chalk marl on 



60 



