295 



Compounds of Lime: — It must be rememberv^d that the benefits to 

 be derived from liming so called are almost entirely dependant on 

 its value as a base and not because of the calcium it contains as a 

 direct plant food, so that it must be applied in one of the following 

 forms :—<iuicklime, slaked lime, or chalk (or other forms of the 

 carbonate such as limestone^. 



Whether applied as quicklime or slaked lime, which are both 

 oxides of calcium or "lime" it is converted eventually into carbonate 

 by the carbonic acid present in the atmosphere or the soil. 



The application of lime in the form of chalk (a soft limestone) so 

 common in many parts of England, is pr )bable known to most plant- 

 ers in this country. There are, however, no deposits of this nature in 

 the Malayan peninsula. It is preferable, however, to apply lime in 

 the form of quicklime or slaked lime rather than as chalk or lime- 

 stone as, although eventually the 1 me is carbonated in the soil, the 

 particles of quicklime or slaked lime are much finer than either chalk 

 or limestone can be reduced to by grinding and are thus more readily 

 incorporated in, and absorbed by the soil. 



Methods of application. 



If quicklime is employed as a dressing it should first be heaped 

 and slaked with water and allowed to fall to a dry powder — "Slaked 

 lime," as if quicklime is spread broadcast over the soil it tends to 

 form lumps and is not easily converted to a powder. 



If "Slaked lime" is used, it can be immediately spread over the 

 surface of the soil. 



"Ground lime" which in the end is more economical cannot be 

 obtained in this country (unless perhaps at the. Marble works at Ipoh, 

 Perak, F.M.S.) 



With trees under two years old, the preferable method would be 

 to dig shallow circular trenches with a radius of about two feet round 

 each tree, and apply to each tree individually. 



On older clearings where the roots of trees interlace it would be 

 more economical and equally effective to broadcast the lime, and fork 

 over the whole surface of the area treated. 



An application of at least 5 cwt. per acre should be used, or four 

 times the quantity on peat soils and on heavy clay soils. A second 

 application of 5 cwt. might be applied in the subsequent )^ear. 



General Remarks: — It should be borne in mind that all manurial 

 treatment of this kind should be carefully checked in order to ascer- 

 tain whether the effects produced are sufficient to warrant the expense 

 incurred. 



It is useless, as some planters and even some supposed trained 

 investigators do, to carry out field experiments of this kind or any 

 other, without checking the effects on a sufficiently large area. At 



