VALUE OF LIME.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144671, 4 May 1915, Page 6

VALUE OF LIME.

GOOD FOR ALL SOILS.

* Mr. Freeman, agricultural lecturer to the Invercargill Technical Board, recently delivered a lecture to members of the Invercargill branch of the Farmers’ Union oh liming. Mr. Freeman said that the question concerned every fanner who wanted to got the host results from the soil. Plants required carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, potash, lime, magnesia, and iron j and one of _ tho most important requirements was lime, which was being continually lost to the soil in different wavs. Presuming that they wore well drainod_ and rationally manured, the kinds of soils that responded to limo were heavy soils through which water did not percolate frselv, peaty land, reclaimed laud, and freshly drained land, also pastures that in tho" early spring were not green, and where white clover was absent. In heavy soils lane coagulated the clay, making it more porous and causing about half tho cultivation to be required then othcr.vi.se would bo the case. Sandy soil is made more retentive. It improved sour soil and soil containing largo quantities of organic matter, time was a plant food, and without lime a plant became stunted. It was a plant within itself. It liberated plants in the soil, liberated potash and nitrogen, and was very useful in the case of phosphates. If aluminium and iron wove present in the soil, it was useful in bringing them back. It was also useful in promoting bacterial action, anti prevented ‘'Anger and too” trouble. Lime broke up organic matter. The question of which was the best limo to apply was a difficult ouestion to decide. It was a local problem and had to ho solved by each farmer himself. Some farmers favoured limo carbonate, and others limo oxide or burnt lime. The latter was more energetic in action as it rapidly went back to tho form of carbon. It was not perhaps advisable lo apply burnt lime to snmly soil. In regard to the quantity to apply one ton of ground carbonate when burnt gave llcwt. of quick lime, lie recommended two tons of quick limo to the acre, and three and a half tons of ground lime or ground carbonate. Liming would pay handsomely, hut the land must bo well drained and intelligently manured. In reply to questions, Mr. Freeman said that gas limo contained cyanide, which was harmful to plants. They would never find “finger and loo” in limestone soil. Lime should contain 85 per cent, of limo oxide, and not more than ■! per cent, of magnesia, and farmers should never purchase limo without receiving a guarantee. Southland laud was waiting for lime, and in regard to tho applying of it all other methods were non’ obsolete, but tho uso of the lime was applied on grass laud or arable lands.