THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT RATIOS OF LIME. 369 



be supposed to rarely require an addition of lime. Soils in Japan 

 contain frequently more magnesia than lime, as the following 

 table shows. Liming therefore is in all these cases in order. 



In 100 parts of air-dry soil. 



(Soluble in strong HC1.) 



Locality CaO MgO 



Asamiya (Omi) 0.13 0.62 



Nihonmatsu (Iwashiro) 0.44 1. 1 2 



Yamashirodani (Awa) 0.24 0.57 



In 100 parts of dry soil. 

 (Soluble in strong HC1.) 



CaO MgO 



Field soil near Tokyo 0.76 1.70 



Udogori (Suruga) 0.48 1.38 



Naritamachi (Shimosa) 1.73 3.33 



Chitagori (Owari) 0.08 0.11 



General Conclusions. 



In comparing the results obtained with wheat, barley and 

 onions, with those obtained with soy-beans, it will be noticed 

 that the excess of lime over magnesia must be larger with 

 the latter plant than with the others mentioned in order to 

 produce the best results. This difference is evidently due to 

 the greater leaf-surface developed in a given time by the soy- 

 bean, every increase of leaf-surface requiring, above all, an 

 increase in lime. 



It is evidently of the greatest practical importance that more 

 attention than heretofore should be paid to the proper ratio 

 between lime and magnesia in the soil, 1 and also to fertilizing 

 according to the laws of development in regard to lime and 

 magnesia and not mainly according to the need of potassa, 

 phosphoric acid and nitrogen. For the liming of a soil not 

 merely the absolute quantity of lime found in it, but in a still 

 higher degree the ratio between lime and magnesia in the soil 

 must form the principal guide. 



f Especially to the ratio of lime and magnesia in the available forms. 



