FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
98 
list of those benefited, that is placed by 
the Rhode Island Experiment Station in 
the list of those that are indifferent. 
Veitch, of the Department of Agriculture, 
reports a very decided increase in the 
weight of clover, cowpeas, and alfalfa, on 
soils that were limed over those that were 
not limed. In fact, in the case of the 
alfalfa, no crop was secured on the un¬ 
limed plot; and he further shows that in 
no case does the yield on the plots where 
the acid was only partially neutralized by 
lime, equal the yield on those where it 
was completely neutralized. At the Ohio 
Experiment Station they have found it 
difficult to get a good stand of clover on 
acid soils, the clover dying out in patches, 
and being supplanted by a growth of 
sorrel. In one case this unfavorable con¬ 
dition was aggravated by the use of fer¬ 
tilizers compounded with acid. With a 
ton of lime to the acre they secured a lux¬ 
uriant growth of clover. The report sug¬ 
gests that a smaller quantity might have 
sufficed. Others have noted the decided 
improvement brought about by the use of 
lime oUi clover, alfalfa, and cowpeas, 
where the soil was acid, where before 
these crops had been a partial or total 
failure. The beggarweed also is a legume, 
and may it not be true that the difficulty 
which so many have had in getting a 
good stand of this crop is due to an acid 
condition in our soils? In this connec¬ 
tion it is of interest toi note the following 
statement taken from the Rhode Island 
Experiment Station report for 18931 “"Rhe 
application of lime on our soils has en¬ 
abled us to secure a good catch of clover 
where it was before im[p0'ssible.'’ 
ARE FLORIDA SOILS GENERALLY ACID.^ 
No systematic study has been made of 
the soils of this State with reference to 
this particular point, but judging by tests 
which I have made of soils representing 
rather widely separated portions of the 
State, and by the statements of others, I 
feel justified in drawing the conclusion, 
that our upland soils are more generally 
acid than we have heretofore supposed 
them to be. That our muck soils are de¬ 
cidedly acid I think no one will question. 
Many of the muck soils are quite rich 
in nitrogen, and in addition contain 
some phosphoric acid and potash, and 
should prove quite valuable as a fertil¬ 
izer, but in many places they are under 
the ban, because they have been accused 
of ruining groves and pineapple planta¬ 
tions. It is very probable however, that 
it was the organic acids in the muck that 
were responsible for the damage, and if 
those who have thus basely slandered 
muck will try a liberal applica¬ 
tion of lime, and by liberal I mean enough 
to make a fair sample of the mixture show 
an alkaline and not an acid reaction, there 
is good reason to believe that their slander 
will be turned into praise. 
WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THIS ACIDITY IN 
FLORIDA SOILS? 
As was pointed out in the early part 
of this paper Elorida soils are generally 
very deficient in lime, and likewise in a 
number of other bases, and this in itself 
may explain, in part at least, why our 
soils have a tendency toward acidity. 
There being a scarcity of bases to neutral¬ 
ize the organic acids formed by decaying 
organic matter, the acid tendency prevails. 
Moreover, the large quantities of com¬ 
mercial fertilizers that we are constantly 
using undoubtedly tends to aggravate this 
condition. There are present in most soils 
hydrated silicates, and non-acid organic 
compounds which have a strong affinity 
for sodium, potassium, calcium, and mag- 
