Manures and the principles of manuring

by Charles Morton Aikman

Despite the fact of the long-established and almost universal use of lime, it can scarcely be said that we as yet clearly understand the exact nature of its action. Much light, however, has been thrown of late years on the subject by the great advance which has been made in our knowledge of agricultural chemistry. Nevertheless, there are many points connected with the action of lime on the soil which are still obscure. Perhaps one reason for the conflicting ideas prevalent with regard to the value of this substance in agriculture is to be found in the fact that it acts in such a number of different ways, and that the nature of the changes it gives rise to in the soil is most complicated. The experience of agriculturists with lime in one part of the country often seems contradictory to the experience of those in other parts of the country. Its action on different soils is very dissimilar. For these reasons, therefore, the discussion of the value of lime as a manure is by no means an easy one.

Lime a necessary Plant-food.

Lime, as we have already pointed out in a former chapter, is a necessary plant-food, and were it present in the soil to a less extent than is actually the case, would be just as valuable a manure as the different nitrogenous and phosphatic manures; and in certain circumstances this is the case. There are soils, though they are by no means of common occurrence, which actually lack sufficient lime for supporting plant-growth, and to which its addition directly promotes the growth of the crop. Poor sandy soils are often of this nature. Another class of soils are also apt to be lacking in lime—at any rate their surface-soil is. These are permanent pasture-soils. Originally there may have been an abundance of lime in the surface portion of the soil; but, as is well known to every practical farmer, lime has a tendency to sink down in the soil. This tendency in ordinary arable soils is largely counteracted by ordinary tillage operations, such as ploughing, &c., by means of which the lime is again brought to the surface. In permanent pasture-soils, however, no such counteracting action takes place, hence impoverishment of the surface-soil in lime eventually results. It is for this reason—partly at any rate—that permanent pasture benefits in an especial degree by the application of lime. We say partly, for there are other important reasons. One is, that lime seems to have a striking effect in improving the quality of pastures by inducing the finer grasses to predominate. It has also a very favourable action in promoting the growth of white clover. Another reason for the favourable effect of lime on pasture-soils is doubtless on account of the action it has in setting potash free from its compounds. Soils, however, which directly benefit from the application of lime in the same way as they benefit from the application of nitrogenous manures, may be safely said to be rare. In the great majority of soils lime exists, so far as the demands of plant-life are concerned, in superabundance.

Lime of abundant Occurrence.

Indeed limestone is one of the most abundant of all rock substances, and it has been calculated that it forms not less than one-sixth of the rock-mass of the earth's crust. Nearly all the commonly occurring minerals contain it, and in the course of their disintegration furnish it to the soil. Vast tracts of country are composed of nothing but limestone; and we have examples, even in this country, of so-called chalk-soils, where it is the most abundant constituent. Nor can it be classed amongst the insoluble mineral constituents of the soil; for although insoluble in pure water, it is soluble in water—such as the soil-water—which contains carbonic acid. This is proved by the fact that it is the chief dissolved mineral ingredient in all natural waters.

Lime returned to the Soil in ordinary Agricultural Practice.

It may be further pointed out, as bearing upon the true function of lime when applied as a manure, that in ordinary agricultural practice nearly all the lime removed from the soil in crops finds its way back again to the farm in the straw of the farmyard manure. For these reasons, then, it is clear that the true function of lime is as an indirect manure.

Let us now proceed to discuss its action. Before doing so, however, it is important that we should clearly understand the different chemical forms in which it occurs.

Different Forms of Lime.

Lime occurs chiefly as carbonate of lime in the forms of limestone, marble, or chalk, which are all chemically the same. It occurs also as sulphate of lime or gypsum, as well as in the forms of phosphate and fluoride. In agriculture it is only used—if we except the phosphate, which is applied not on account of its lime, but its phosphoric acid—in the form of the carbonate or mild lime as it is commonly called, burnt, caustic, or quick lime, and as gypsum. As the value of gypsum as a manure is of such importance, and depends not entirely on its being a compound of lime, we shall consider it by itself. Hence we have only to consider here the action of mild and caustic lime.