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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: 1 2 3 1 2 4 5 L'axtmplaira filmA fut raproduit gric* k la ginirositi da: Bibliotheque natlonale du Canada La* imagaa suivantaa ont ttt raproduitas avec la plua grand aoin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nanata da I'axamplaira filmi, at an conformity avac laa condition* du contrat da filmaga. Laa axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura an papiar aat ImprimAa aont filmia an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tf .ninant soit par la darniira paga qui compona una amprainta d'imprasaion ou d'llluatration, soit par la sacond plat, aalon la eaa. Toua las autras axamplairas originaux sont filmte an commanpant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta >tn» amprainta d'impraasion ou d'illustration at 9n tarminant par la darniira paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un das symbolas suivants apparaitra sur la darniira imaga da chaqua microficha. salon la cas: la symboia — ^-signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols V signifia "FIN". Las cartaa. planchas, tablaaux. ate. pauvant atre filmte A das taux da reduction diffArants. Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour atra raproduit an un saul clich*. 11 ast film* A partir da I'angla supiriaur gaucha, da gauche A droita. at da haut an bas, an pranant la nombra d'imagas nicassaira. Las diagrammas suivants illustront la mAthoda. 2 3 5 6 MICROCOfY KESOtUTION TIST CHART (ANSI ond ISO TEST CHART No 2| ^ APPLIED IIVMGE In 1653 Eosl Mo.n Slr^t «oc^esl*r. New rorh 146O9 ijtjl ('16! ♦as - 0^ - Phon. (716) 28(« - 5989 - Fa, i fp\ LIMK IN AOIJlcrLT^JlK^''' FIJA.VK T sill'l 1, MA, I)S,. THE NATURE OF LIME AND LIME COMPOUNDS USED IN AGRICULTURE Lime. I.iino, Umhuii iil-ii as i|iiii'kliiiii', Imrnt liliu'. .Mu-rii' liliir, -t..i;i- linii'. vU:-, i- IT"- diK't^l from tlic Ijiiniiiij; of liiiii'stnin' (I'iirliiiuitc nf lime) wifli wmmI or ci'iil. \\f buniiiiK nmy In; prrfuriih'il cither in a -pci-inlly iHn-trm-ti'il kiln 'im|iii ) pounds per hushel, aeeordini; to its degree of purity and the thoroUKhtiess of hurninp. This fai't fnrni-hes an ar>;nmeiit in favour of purclnisiiif; lime and lime compounds by weifrlit rnther than bv mea-nre. Air-slaked lime results from the lonp exposure of i)uieklinie to the oir. The lime first absorbs moisture, being converted into the hydrate (.flaked lime), which then take* up and combine.^ with the carbonic acid gus of thi' atmospliere to fonn the 'vir- bonatp. Slaked lime, therefore, is variable in composition; it may be essentially •laked lime with a small pereentaire of carbonates or largely carbonate of lime with traces only of slaked lime, dependinp chiefly upon the duration of the exposure. Limestone, Marl. These are essentially carlionate of lime. Limestones are not all identical in com position ; some contain notable amounts of carbonate of mapnesium and are known as maprnesian limestone or dolomite: others er>ntain varying proportions of inert roek material. Ilenco the higher grades of limestone used in agriculture may bo almost pure carbonate of lime, while the lower grades may contain less than three-fourths nf their weight of carbonate. DOMINION EXFERIMENTAL FARMS. J H. GRISDALE, B.Agr.. Director. FRANK T. SHUTT, M.A., D.Sc, Dominion Chemist (Assistant Director). EXHIBITION CIRCULAR No. 86. (January, 1916.) 93.332 ^m ifi.H't^ Mnrln I'lintniniiii; ovef Itf' |»r r,i,{ ,,t ('iirl'oiiiitp ot iiiin- lUi' iniiiinitly fomid in ('iiiiiulii: nthrr-. riiiitiiiiiiiip \i;.-.. iii»f |irii|iiirtii>iii. of rliiv, «iin(l c^r nrniiiiic niiittpr tnny •■liow BH low lis :Vi |«T rfiit of fiirlM.iiiitc of liiiii'. {'liii'rty \>y rfii-mi of tho fiirility with wliich thry may lir rodiii'nl to ii tine powder. tniirl« i>ii,.tiliiti' ^i very luitalilc form of I'lirboiiutf of lime for um- in iit'rirultiirp. The Agricultural Function! of Lime and iti Componndi. Tlif I'liicf r)l)j(■^•t•^ of upplyiiiff liriK' c • rnrhoiiatp of linie are two: thp iiputraiiza- tiori of acidity and tlic ini|irov»'initit of til'h or nwilianiral cotidilion of soils. Acidity o;' Sourness. Liiiif and carhonntc of lime coiiiliinc with and ii(\itriilize the "oil's n<-id« and t^e f.\ciss used renders the soil sliplitly allvaline, a eoii|.ei'iiilly apt to liecvune sour. Soil- eon- sistint; essentially of vetxetalilc ( rn»ni<' matter, as mni ' , and peat loams, are usually, though not invarially, sour. .Many li^'lit upland soils are slipjitly arid, presunialdy by the washintf out and leHchitiR away ot their original store of earhonate of lime or its withdrawal hy nian.y years of erof liiiL'. Tn all .soils, hut more espoeinlly in sandy and (rrnvelly U.ams, there is a tendeney for the lime compounds to disapiJenr, partly throu^rh removal hy crops hut more p: r- ticnlarly hy their solution (in water containinp carbonic acid) and passage into the strata below the root nrcn. Method of Testing for Acidity with Litmus Paper. The usual test for soil acidity is blue litiuns paper, which may be purclinsed nt any drnjf store. It should be kept in a clean, dry. preferably wid( -mouthed, well-corked bottle. Whi'u tearing' or cutting off n strip of litmus paper for use, a pair of forceps or scissors should be used, as the paper i.s sensitive and the fjiifrer-^ may oause its red- denint;. The followioff test, if carefully carried out. is reliable: ~ 1. Take up, by means of a spade or trowel, a little of the surface soil from. say. half a dozen places on the area to be examined and mix well: do not handle the soil. Take a small quantity (a few ounces) of the samiile. put it in a clean cup or tumbler, pour on a little boiled water and stir with a clean jiiece of stick or spoon until a pasty mass is obtained. Into this " mud " press, hy mean^ of a small stick or the hack of a knife, a strip of blue litmus paT)cr for about one-half to two-thirds of its Ipnjrth. Tf on drawiuK out the paper, at the end of fifteen minutes, the part in contact with the Boil has turned red, then the soil is acid. Influence of Lime on Tilth. The influence of lime and its compotnids upon the tilth or texture of the soil is most marked in the case of clays, which it renders less stick.v and cohesive when wet. and more friable and mellow when dry. On light soils — sandy and pravelly loams — lime and carbonate of lime exert a beneficial influence, their action beinpr to cement slifrhtly the soil particles, renderiufr the soils somewhat heavier and more compact in text\ire and, thus, less liable to dry out in seasons of droufrht. Chemical Effects of Lime Compounds. In addition to their beneficial effects already dc-^cribed. linie. as also the carhoi. • ; and sulphate of lime, possesses in a considerable depree the power to decompose tne insoluble pota>li c(impoun in tlie soil, the lime takiiiB the place of the potash, which is liberated in a form assimilable by plants. Thus the lime compounds may act as indirect potash fertilizers. The effect is natiirally mo>t noticeable on clavs and will most materially benefit clover D)id o*.her leguminous crops which more particularly respond to potassic fertilizers. 09501496 Inflaence of Lime on the Bacterial Life of the Soil. The humus (.r -.riiii (l<-ii,v.(l urnaiiii' nmtiir in tin' mmI i- ilir iiuiin «nurr<' and ^tnri'liou.-i- of iiitrii({>'". thi .lomiiuiiit iiii.l iti .t ro.tl.v ilciii.nt ct pluiil LlhI. lU-fore this luinius nitrojfi'ii can U- iitilizr.l h\ i,'r.>uiiii.' .rop- it inu:.t !..■ ..xidi/.'il ami ••oii- vertid into nitratf-. This priMvas, ktiowii i\* nilriti.aticm, i- th'- lilV work •<( i'> rtaiii vcuftablo ini il rk'uni<' niatttr is nccomiianii'd hy thf d.vcl.ipnuMit of r. rluin or^'an;.- mid-, an-! ll.i'.s tli.' snil hL-<-omoil i- di.iiii.tl> nnfavoural.l.' to tho lifp and dov.doinncnt of the u>.ful nitrif.vinit orLMnisiii-. f'.r iIk -«■ ound- -f quicklimr will he equal to a weiijht of air -hiked li...e between 74 and MO pounds, rrosentinp thesf farts in tabular form we have:— 'KiO lbs. (piieklime - "..'■>71 lbs. pround limestone and niiirl. 2. 11„. quicklime -^ '2,CA^ lb». fresbly-slaked lime. If (luicklime were worth $'< per ton, Kmund limestone. eMUally free t'n.in impuri- ties, would be worth $2.80 per ton. and freshly-slaked lime. .$:t.sii per ton. While the above comparison, as to e pounds per acre) and at h)ni,' intervals. Car- bonate of lime (limestone and marl) is mu'>h milder in its action and an exoess .■an do little or no harm. For heavy clays or .soiU. ridi in orfranic ni.ittir. niink- an,tono and mr.rl. Oyptum or Land Platter. fiypHUTii niiiv Ire vtiliinlili- atrrirtiltiinilly in furiii»liiii(t limi> {'>r plant urowth, a« it u fuir!y vilniili- in uiitcr, Imt ninco in tliix fnriii lime i» i-oniliiM>' tlin ptiu'i" .)f <|uiol, sliikid iinir, or tnarl or uroiind liim'tsnnc. which ur« ocntinllv ..lUnliiic in char- .ictlT. Tlic two ,1 '■ aurrii'iiltiiral functioim of land planter arc its proixTt.v of llocculat- itii,' .lav and itR plTii t or intlunnco on th« in-nhiMo pota-li comiHuind"'. "itiuK frcr' this tl'incnl in form;* avniluhlr for plant use. Thf tir^t of tlirs«> function- makes it vnlii- Hiiif for the dri—in;; of licavy chiy lonnn, aliidi it improves in tiltli h.v rendrrinjr Tl:im less pla-tic. more open and fri'ible; in a word, mellower nnd more eauily worked. The Application of Lime Compoandi. Quicklime. ~- In order to facilitate iti* nniform c|i->iri!iution over tli« loil. quiek- linic should he -laUfnl. I'lace the limo in small heapH of about a hti'ok*. whin the lime will be thorouirhly slaked and fall itito a fine powder. Mi.x the slakeimately one ton ]>eT aero. Slaked Lime, '^hi,^ is in the form of a powder and may be most eonveniently. pli'rtsuntly and uniformly spread by employinR a lime sprciider or fertilizer drill. It can, cf ceur-e. be spread from a wajron box, but the oinration is more or less disatfreo- abh\ If tliis method is adopted, the mixinj? of the slakrcl linie with n little tine soil is said to make the handliiiK less unpleasant. For tlio.se more eausti;' forms — quicklime arid slaked litne-nutunin is probably the best season for application, spro 'ing on the ploughed land and immediately harrowintf it in. The aim should be to incorporate the limp with the first three or four inches rf .soil. The tendency for all lime coniiKjunds is to sink to bo wailied down by the rain. nnd. therefore, they should lu ^ot be ploughed under. It is better to make liy^lit applications frei|uently, say once ii r .tation if necos.sary, »haii larne applications at lonsjer intervals. It is '.veil to -rr on the de of too little than too iiiuch. (>-.|M'cially il the orKanie oontr of the -"i! ci^uiot nstantJy enriched. Ground limestone.- — The essei , points tf. Ijb retr, this form are co-npositiou and dcjrn e of fineness. If a qui a material T,") per ciMit of whii'li passes thronsh n sieve wiu inch, will be found satisfactory, ('..nrser pronmi li'iic - •- f lly used — say .">0 to 75 per cent passing through a .">o a li)-niesli sicv(^ if immediate and, in a sense, quick. <\t The application may be from two to ten tons \wT a. and the acidity of the soil and the deirree of fineness <. nnd slaked lime, excess of (rround limestone can do ' ' holds true of marl. The application of ground limestone and marl otbr- iiiipleasa toess; a spreader niav be used or the ih.iterinl Ji-tr wagon. They may be applied at any season of the year ai..' has been statt>d. for light loams and soils generally that ar< j.^ As with lime tli<>y should be harrowed in, not ploughed under nir.idowf or pajitures, merely spread on the surface. ■n the purchase of iironijit ai'ticm if. desired. 10() meshes to the linear ■ay, however, l>e suecess- ir've — 0' "1 :•■], through ' i-- not iniiiort.rtnt. 4 to the chiiractcr ill. Unlike .|iiick irm and the safoe special ditHculty or \ l.y a shove! frou' .i spe< i tly suited, as n ori-anic matter. in ti:» ."a«e nt Publiihed by authority of Hon. MARTIN BURRELL, Miniiter of Agn Ont 4