Ii86 



Notes on Manures. 



[mar.,. 



Lime on Land to be sown for Clover. — A common cause of the- 

 failure of clover is lack of lime in the soil. Clover will not 

 tolerate acidity, and any deficiency of 

 Notes on ManureB lime soon leads to this undesirable condi- 

 for April : tion. Cases have repeatedly been brought 

 From the Rothamsted to the notice of the Rothamsted Experi- 

 Experimental Station, mental Station of the failure of clover 

 seeds, which, after careful examination, 

 was traced to the absence of lime in the soil. 



In view of the cost of clover seeds, and the desirabiUty of 

 securing good plants, farmers will be well advised, in cases 

 where there is the least doubt, to have their soils examined 

 in regard to the lime content, so that they can give a dressing; 

 if necessary. While it is probably too late to use burnt lime, 

 there is still time to apply ground limestone or ground 

 chalk, both of which are effective in neutralising soil acidity 

 and improving the condition of the clover crop. 



Damage to clover as the result of applying sulphate of 

 ammonia to the covering corn crop has also been reported. 

 In our experience this happens only when there is a shortage 

 of lime in the soil, and is a further reason for ensuring 

 adequate supplies. It is quite unnecessary to refrain from the 

 use of spring dressings because of the possibiHty of injuring 

 the clover. 



Purchase of Waste Lime.— A correspondent sent a sample- 

 of waste lime material which on drying contained 99 per cent, 

 of calcium carbonate and i per cent, of impurities, chiefly mag- 

 nesium carbonate. The sample was not in good condition or 

 it would have been worth as much as good ground limestone. 

 After drying, however, it could be broken up sufficiently 

 finely to be appHed to the land. 



No general rule can be given as to the proper quantity of 

 these waste materials to apply per acre. Everything turns on 

 the degree of fineness ; some of the waste limes are so lumpy, 

 even after rough drying, that they could not be used at a 

 lower rate than 10 to 15 tons per acre. 



The appHcation would have to be made in winter in the 

 hope that the frost would cause disintegration and facilitate 

 distribution. With better drying and some degree of grinding 

 the effectiveness of the material might be increased two or three 

 times, and application could then be made later owing to the 

 greater ease of distributing the material in the soil. Commercial 

 firms turning out waste lime would do well to ascertain whether 

 they could dry and grind the material so as to give the farmer 



