LIME YOUR SOIL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 207, 17 September 1937, Page 15

LIME YOUR SOIL

The present is au excelleut time to attend to liining. Gardeners very frequently overlook the fact that before fruit trees can fully avail themselves of manure there must be a sufficiency of lime n the isoil. Lime, in one form or other, is chief basis of fertility, serving to counteract sourness and being necessary for the preparation of existing availablo plant food upon which nature depends. Soils that naturally lack lime, as well as heavy or sour land, should regularly receive a dressing every few years. It is particularly necessary that there be an adequate supply of lime in the soil for the "stone'5 fruits, like plums, cherries, etc. The gardener can apply a simple test to determine whetlier or not his fruit ground definitely lacks lime. The •plan is to take small samples of soil from several different parts of the plot, mixing them well together and then placing a small quantity in a tumbler, adding water so that the sampie is well wetted. A little strong hydrochloric acid, obtainable froip the chomist is tlien.poured on. If, on the addition of this acid, the mixturo fizzes and bubbles feebly, the soil may be taken -to contain a sufliciency of lime, but if it bubbles very feebly or not at all y sure sicn that '• ■ ' ' is iaclung and an lmmediate applieation should, be given.