Right Use of Lime in Soil Improvement — Themes and Context

Identifying Sour Soils

Agee devotes three chapters to acidity: 'Sour Soils,' 'Evidences of Acidity,' and 'Tests for Acidity.' He describes visual clues such as poor clover growth and the presence of certain weeds, then details chemical tests using litmus paper or phenolphthalein. The excerpts do not include the full test procedures, but the emphasis on practical diagnostics is clear. Agee warns that acidity can be hidden, and that 'the hunger of soils for lime is so great' that even expensive hydrated lime often yields profit. The reader is encouraged to test before treating.

Forms of Lime and Their Trade-offs

Agee compares ground limestone, fresh burned lime, and hydrated lime. He explains that burning limestone drives off 44 pounds of each 100, and slaking adds 18 pounds of water. He criticizes the common farm practice of slaking lime in small piles, calling it 'wasteful' and noting that 'lumps may be seen lying in ineffective form in the soil for years.' Hydrated lime, though convenient, is 'identical in composition and value' with properly slaked farm lime, yet dealers sometimes imply 'some added quality and peculiar power.' Agee advises buyers to compare purity and cost per ton of available calcium.

Application Methods and Rates

Chapters 16 and 17 address 'Methods of Application' and 'Amount of Lime per Acre.' Agee recommends spreading lime evenly, using mechanical distributors when possible. He cautions against excessive use of burned lime without manure, illustrating with a photograph from the Pennsylvania Experiment Station. The excerpts do not specify exact rates, but the frontispiece and plate captions show yield comparisons: unfertilized clover and timothy yielded 2,460 pounds per acre, while lime alone boosted yields to 3,900 and 4,900 pounds, and fertilizer plus lime reached 6,290 pounds. These figures ground the advice in data.

Special Crop Demands and Long-Term Storage

The final chapter, 'Special Crop Demands,' and an earlier chapter on 'Storing Lime in the Soil' address crop-specific needs and the persistence of lime in the soil. Agee notes that different crops—such as clover, corn, and sweet clover—respond differently to liming, as shown in Ohio Experiment Station photographs. He also discusses how lime can be stored in the soil, reducing the need for annual application. The excerpts do not reveal specific recommendations, but the structure suggests a systematic approach: test, choose the right form, apply correctly, and monitor crop response.

Agee's book is a concise manual for the practical farmer, grounded in experiment station research rather than theory. Readers will benefit from reading the chapters in order, as each builds on the previous: starting with soil testing, then selecting a lime source, and finally applying it at the right rate. The numerous photographs and yield tables provide concrete benchmarks. For a first reading, focus on chapters 3 through 5 on acidity and chapters 14 through 17 on choosing and applying lime—these form the core of Agee's advice.