396 REPORT OF THE CHEMIST OF THE 
The need of lime is usually indicated when the common red 
clover after starting vigorously in the spring appears later to 
stand still in growth and finally disappears in part or wholly. 
A vigorous growth of horse-sorrel is commonly a sign of the 
need of fime. 
HOW MUCH LIME TO APPLY AND HOW OFTEN, 
The character of the soil and the crops grown must deter- 
mine largely the amount of lime to use. The general rule may 
be safely followed of applying lime in smaller quantities at 
more frequent intervals rather than large quantities once in 
several years. On poor soils and in case of light, dry soils, the 
quantity applied at one time should be relatively small, vary- 
ing from 500 to 1,500 pounds of quicklime per acre, and cor- 
responding amounts of other forms. However, in the case of 
carbonate of lime, three or four times aS much can be used 
to advantage. On heavy clay soils and on rich soils, the appli- 
cation may vary from 1000 to 4000 pounds according to fre- 
quency, acidity, etc. In rotations of five or six years, one 
liming will probably suffice for the rotation under ordinary 
conditions. On meadows kept in grass for many years in suc- 
cession and fertilized exclusively by commercial fertilizers, ap- 
plication of lime on the surface at the rate of 300 to 500 
pounds an acre once in three or four years will usually be 
found helpful. 
AT WHAT TIME TO APPLY LIME. 
Autumn is the best time to apply quicklime or slaked lime 
on land used for spring crops. The power of quicklime or 
Slaked lime to injure seeds is gradually lost by lying in the 
soil. In case of autumn seeding, the lime can be scattered 
after plowing and then harrowed in very thoroughly. For 
many crops, lime may be applied in the spring with little risk, 
provided it is worked into the soil very completely. In case of 
very sour soils, the application of lime in the spring is often 
very beneficial. Carbonate of lime can be applied at any time 
without risk of injury to crops. 
