FERTILIZERS AND 
frequent use. Lime sweetens acid soils by neutralizing 
the sourness, and renders plant foods soluble, so the 
plant can absorb them. It may be applied to the sur- 
face at any time, summer or winter, but the best results 
follow when it is mixed with the soil by plow, harrow, 
or spade and rake. Do not use at the same time with 
animal manures, as too much nitrogen will pass from 
the manure into the air. Ground lime is milder in 
action than burned or slaked lime, although most flor- 
ists prefer slaked lime, and apply it once every three 
years, using between two and three thousand pounds 
per acre. For the home gardener the powdered lime 
that is sold in large sealed paper bags is admirable, 
because easy to apply evenly, and in its finely divided 
form quickly available when well mixed in the soil. 
Speaking in general, see that your soil is limed every 
three years. If your ground is newly acquired testing 
for sourness is an easy matter. Mix half a cup of soil 
with water until it is like thick porridge. Any drug 
store can supply blue litmus paper. Push a piece of 
the litmus paper into the mud, taking care not to handle 
the portion of paper that is put into contact with the 
mixture. After soaking two hours rinse off the mud 
without wetting the upper half of the paper. If the 
paper has been intensely reddened by the mud, lime is 
called for. If pink, your soil contains a good deal of 
acid vegetable matter. If the paper is only brick-red, 
the soil is not acid, and lime is only required to improve 
