USES OF LIME 295 



cent actual potash, and (2) muriate of potash, with fifty per cent 

 actual potash. 



Potash is now obtained in commercial amounts from wastes in 

 cement factories and iron refineries. 



LIMING OF SOILS 



Many garden, orchard, and field soils need liming. Our soils 

 may be sour and need lime for that reason. Many legumes need 

 lime (Fig. 205) so that their special bacteria can live in the soils. 



Uses of Lime. — There are a number of beneficial effects resulting 

 from the liming of soils. 



1. Lime will correct the sourness of soils. Nearly all crops are 

 less productive on sour soils. The application of lime will make 

 these crops thrive if other conditions are favorable. 





Fig. 205. — Lime increases the growth of clover and other legumes. Right from limed plot, 

 left from unlimed plot. The clover improveB the soil foi other crops. 



2. Lime tends to correct the stickiness of clay soils and makes 

 them more loose and porous. They will then not bake and crack so 

 badly as a result of heavy rains followed by dry weather. 



3. Sandy soils are made firmer by the use of lime on them. 

 They will plow better, hold moisture and plant food better, etc. 



4. Liming of soils aids in the decay of vegetable matter which 

 they contain. When green manure and barnyard manure are 

 turned under lime should be applied soon after. ' The converse is 

 also true. Organic matter must be applied to soils that are limed. 

 Otherwise the humus matter would soon be gone and the net 

 result would be detrimental. 



5. Plant food in soils is made more available by the action of 

 lime. At first the apparent result of liming would be much the 

 same as adding a complete fertilizer to the soil. The growing crop 

 is able to take from the soil more than it could without the action 



