LIMING THE LAND

Te Puke Times, 20 July 1920, Page 3

LIMING THE LAND

EXPERT VIEWS GIVEN An address on "lime and liming" was given by Mr T, H. Patterson (instructor in agriculture at Auckland) at Wednesday's Conference of the Council of Agricujlure. lpldat Wellington. He pointed oat that lime had been applied to the soil since the dawn of agricultural history. The relation (f the practice of liming to progressive agriculture in New Zealand was spoken of. In its importance in maintaining soil fertility lime was second only to phosphate. Mr Patterson gave several instances showing the need for lime in New Zealand soils. He touched on the good results accruing from the right use of lime, arfd incidently he pointed to the abuses arising from its misuse. Small quantities at frequent intervals were better than large amounts at one- time. Freshly burnt lime depleted the the sil of humus. A greater knowledge of lime and liming would tend towards the more extensive and judicious use of lime. | High-priced land called to-day for higher grade farming, and this required lime. MrW. Perry (Maaterton) dea-1 cribed his experiment with lime extending over 15 years. At firßt he used burnt lime, but he found that big quantities of this were not effective until after one of two years' of application. The effect of burnt limewaß not immediate. He'finally discarded the use of burnt lime and applied crushed lime to' his soil. This' had proved very beneficial, and he wished that he had three tons of carbonate of lime to the acre all over his property. It was a good proposition to treat soils with. both, manure and lime. Many farmers did not realise what thev, were missing in n not going in for carbonate of lime.