How may the acidity be overcome?
It is a constituent of many plants. It also furnishes them with sulphur—a constituent of the sulphuric acid which it contains.
It is an excellent absorbent of ammonia, and is very useful to sprinkle around stables, poultry houses, pig-styes, and privies, where it absorbs the escaping gases, saving them for the use of plants, and purifying the air, thus rendering stables, etc., more healthy than when not so supplied.
It has been observed that the extravagant use of plaster sometimes induces the growth of sorrel. This is probably the case only where the soil is deficient in lime. In such instances, the lime required by plants is obtained by the decomposition of the plaster. The lime enters into the construction of the plant, and the sulphuric acid remains free, rendering the soil sour, and therefore in condition to produce sorrel. In such a case, an application of lime will correct the acid by uniting with it and converting it into plaster.
CHLORIDE OF LIME.
What does chloride of lime supply to plants?
How does it affect manures?
How may it be used?
How may magnesia be supplied, when wanting?
What care is necessary concerning the use of magnesia?