IO 
ACTION OF LIME AS A MANURE. 
the manures in a raw state in conjunction with lime. All soils 
that have received lime in preceding years are specially suited 
for the application of superphosphates as an addition to the 
above mentioned fertilizers. A quantity of 1-1.5 kuwamme 
of soluble phosphoric acid in the first year, and of 0.5-0.75 
kuwamme in the subsequent seasons would enhance the yield 
of grain so much that farmers would not think any more of 
returning to heavy and frequent doses of lime. 
A second important factor in the cultivation of overlimed 
paddy fields is the selection of suitable varieties of rice. Some 
of them, as for example sliiratama (white spot) is particularly 
liable to become mealy and brittle, as its grains do not acquire, 
even on normal soils, a uniform texture but always exhibit 
more or less white spots near the surface and in the centre. 
Other varieties are, on the other side, more apt to retain their 
horny compact condition even under unfavourable circum¬ 
stances, as we had occasion to observe with oni no nde (devil’s 
arm), which endured a pressure of 5.5 kilogrms., whereas 
shiratama produced on the same soil with the same manure, 
broke under a pressure of 3.95 kilogrms. We regret, however, 
that we must abstain from recommending any special varieties 
for overlimed soils, because we are not aware of the special 
local conditions in the various provinces, which must, of 
course, also be taken into account in the selection. 
Finally, the inconvenient mealy condition of rice may be 
diminished to some extent by early cutting. 
We must add that the brittle condition of the rice grains 
is not necessarily due only to overliming, but may be experi¬ 
enced in all those cases in which the supply of nitrogen to the 
plants is insufficient. It may also be caused in some instances 
by faulty methods of drying and storing the grain. 
In the preceding pages lime was alluded to as favouring the 
decay of organic manures in the soil and accelerating the for - 
mation of ammonia from nitrogenous organic compounds. We 
