44:4, QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Dzc., 1898. 
LIME. 
Tt is well known that burnt lime is an indirect fertiliser—thatis, it increases 
the availability of the plant-fo..d ingredients present in the soil, and improves 
its physical condition. 
It has been observed that caleareous soils produce tobaceo. of a poor 
burning quality ; on the other hand, though, Prof. Oserhati concludes from 
his experiments that the addition of lime to clay soils deficient in this material 
decidedly improves the burning quality of the leaf. However, he ascribes this 
improvement to the beneficial effect exerted by lime on the condition of the 
soil. 
In two experiments made on the Santa Rosa Plantation, in Pinar del Rio, 
Cuba, the tobaceo-seed was mixed with three parts of sand, and distributed 
uniformly over the hot-beds by hand on 14th September. The sowing had to 
be repeated on 20th October, as the first seed was destroyed by a storm 
accompanied by much rain. The earth of the hot-beds was manured uniformly 
with a mixture containing 30 per cent. phosphate of lime, 7 per cent. nitrogen, 
and 2 per cent. potash. ‘The plants were transferred to the experimental plots 
on 9th December, after the roots had grown to a length of 1:18 inches, the 
stems 1°57 inches, and 3-4: leaves 8°54-4°72 inches. The plots had been 
ploughed crosswise in November, and fertilisers (in quantities mentioned 
above) applied in small heaps where the plants were to be set out, and mixed 
lightly with a little earth! The distance between the heaps was 27°56/15°75 
inches, the plots were 0:02471 acre in size, and there were 350 plants to the 
plot, corresponding to 14,164 plants to the acre. About 1 oz. (95+) of the 
mixture was applied to each plant on plot 4; or at the rate of 856 Ib. per acre, 
made up as follows :— 
205 lb. double superphosphate (42 per cent.), 
330 ,, carbonate of potash-magnesia, and 
821 ,, nitrate of soda. 
The plants from plots 10 and 4 were measured with the following 
result :— 
Plot 10. Plot 4, 
; : Unfertilised. Fertilised. 
Height of plant = ... 17°7 inches 25°6 inches, 
Pairs of leaves = Beech 4-5 
Length of leaves... ... 15°8 inches 23°6 inches. 
Width of leaves oe see  9'1 inches 13°8 inches. 
These experiments will be continued, as definite results have not yet been 
obtained, though the application of carbonate of potash-magnesia was seen to 
be of much benefit. The fertilisers applied, and the condition of the leaves 
early in 1895, before the harvest, are given in the table below :— 
No. of Plot. Fertilisers Applied. Condition of Leaves before Cutting. 
1. Sulphate of potash re ! ’ 
Nitrate of soda Ae ... 7 Fair, like that of unfertilised plot. 
Phosphate of lime 
2. Sylvinit at : 
Nitrate of soda +N 
Double superphosphate 
3. Schoenit ts 
Nitrate of soda 
Phosphate of lime 
4. Carbonate of potash-magnesia 
Nitrate of soda arf 
Double superphosphate 
Phosphate of potash ... 
Nitrate of soda As 
Phosphate of lime... 
é Fair, like that of unfertilised plot. 
Excellent, 
as 
xi )) 
= Middling, inferior to unfertilised plot. 
; Fair, like unfertilised plot. 
