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Letter to Editor
May 15, 1910
The Ranch
Seattle, Kent, King County, Washington
What is this article about?
H. M. Basford from Hillsboro, Oregon, writes to 'The Ranch' seeking advice on sourcing and applying ground limestone to treat sour, flooding land that grows sorrel but not clover. The response recommends drainage, then applying 50-100 pounds of lime per acre, preferably quick lime slaked and powdered.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Use Limestone.
Hillsboro, Oregon, May 8th.
To The Ranch:—I have read quite a number of your articles on fertilizers, and especially about ground limestone. I have some land that overflows in the winter, but raises fine grain. There is quite an amount of sorrel, and cannot get clover to grow. I think the land is sour. Where can ground limestone be bought, and in what proportion?
H. M. BASFORD.
From the description of your land it is undoubtedly sour, as you say.
The first necessary work to be done is to properly drain it. This is a matter entirely too much neglected on the Pacific Coast.
The growth of sorrel on your land indicates sourness, and the lime fertilizer will be the best possible thing that you can apply to the land.
The lime does not fertilize the land so much as it improves the chemical and physical conditions of the soil, and the bacterial growth which liberates the latent food.
Lime can be bought in several forms, it is really land plaster or ground gypsum. It must be sparingly applied, 100 pounds to the acre would be the maximum amount, 50 or perhaps 75 would be better. Probably the best plan to apply this is to use quick lime.
Pile lime in heaps, say about a bushel or so in a heap, cover with earth and sprinkle with water.
In the morning this fine powder can be easily distributed. This should be applied now, or when the land is dry enough to drive a team over it.
You will have no trouble in getting clover started after you have prepared the soil. For lime see Ranch advertisers.
Hillsboro, Oregon, May 8th.
To The Ranch:—I have read quite a number of your articles on fertilizers, and especially about ground limestone. I have some land that overflows in the winter, but raises fine grain. There is quite an amount of sorrel, and cannot get clover to grow. I think the land is sour. Where can ground limestone be bought, and in what proportion?
H. M. BASFORD.
From the description of your land it is undoubtedly sour, as you say.
The first necessary work to be done is to properly drain it. This is a matter entirely too much neglected on the Pacific Coast.
The growth of sorrel on your land indicates sourness, and the lime fertilizer will be the best possible thing that you can apply to the land.
The lime does not fertilize the land so much as it improves the chemical and physical conditions of the soil, and the bacterial growth which liberates the latent food.
Lime can be bought in several forms, it is really land plaster or ground gypsum. It must be sparingly applied, 100 pounds to the acre would be the maximum amount, 50 or perhaps 75 would be better. Probably the best plan to apply this is to use quick lime.
Pile lime in heaps, say about a bushel or so in a heap, cover with earth and sprinkle with water.
In the morning this fine powder can be easily distributed. This should be applied now, or when the land is dry enough to drive a team over it.
You will have no trouble in getting clover started after you have prepared the soil. For lime see Ranch advertisers.
What sub-type of article is it?
Informative
What themes does it cover?
Agriculture
What keywords are associated?
Ground Limestone
Sour Land
Soil Drainage
Lime Fertilizer
Clover Growth
Sorrel
Pacific Coast Agriculture
What entities or persons were involved?
H. M. Basford
The Ranch
Letter to Editor Details
Author
H. M. Basford
Recipient
The Ranch
Main Argument
inquire about sourcing and proportion of ground limestone for sour land that floods and grows sorrel but not clover; response advises drainage first, then apply 50-100 pounds of lime per acre using quick lime method.
Notable Details
Land Overflows In Winter, Raises Fine Grain
Sorrel Indicates Sourness
Lime Improves Soil Conditions And Bacterial Growth
Apply Quick Lime In Heaps, Cover With Earth And Water