1920.] 



Nitrate of Lime. 



45 



Nitrate of lime, as now manufactured, is of a dark grey colour 

 and is very soluble in water. It is also hygroscopic, that is, 

 it has the property of absorbing moisture from the atmosphere. 



Nitrate of lime is now produced in a granular, dust-free 

 condition, well adapted for sowing, either by hand or machine, 

 without any previous crushing or treatment. Formerly, 

 it contained a certain amount of dust which rendered the 

 distribution, especially by hand, a more or less unpleasant 

 operation, but this objection has been removed. 



The Fertilising Value of Nitrate of Lime. — The manurial value of 

 nitrate of lime has been adequately confirmed by the results 

 of accurate field tests and practical evidence generally. It 

 has proved practically equal in effectiveness to nitrate of 

 soda on normal soils, while on soils poor in lime it has shown 

 a distinct superiority. It has also the advantage that it 

 does not injure the tilth of heavy soils, but will actually improve 

 their physical condition by reason of the lime supplied. The 

 rapid action of nitrate of lime also renders it a very effective 

 manure when it is desired to give a crop a good start. Owing to 

 its extreme solubility, it reaches the roots almost immediately, 

 and its nitrogen is made directly available to the crop. Even 

 during a drought the air moisture will gradually but completely 

 dissolve the nitrate of lime, which will then find its way down 

 through the soil. It therefore deserves attention as a top- 

 dressing in districts subject to late spring and early summer 

 droughts. 



It might, of course, be reasonably argued that the ready 

 solubility of nitrate of lime would render it liable to a certain 

 amount of loss by leaching from the soil. The results of the 

 comparative field trials with nitrogenous fertilisers, however, 

 tend to disprove this idea. As a matter of fact, nitrate fertilisers 

 are not so easily washed out of average soils as is popularly 

 supposed, and when, as is most general, they are used as 

 top-dressings, the risk of loss is reduced to a minimum. 



The Application of Nitrate of Lime. — The production of nitrate 

 of lime in a suitable granular form, free from dust, has removed 

 practically all the difficulties previously associated with its 

 distribution. It is important, however, that the material 

 should be applied on a thoroughly dry day. If this is done, 

 it can be handled as conveniently as can any other fertiliser. 



It is also a point of practical importance that the granules 

 should be just sufficiently small to ensure an even and efficient 

 distribution without any previous crushing or treatment. 

 In fact, when applied under dry weather conditions, nitrate 



