11* EFFECT OF CERTAIN ”MING PRACTICES
UPON THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND
PROPER‘HES OF ,SEVERAL WIGAN SOILS

Thai: for flu Door» of M. S.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Konmth M. Prom
1955

{1485‘s

THE EFFECT OF CERTAIN LIMING PRACTICES UPON THE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF

SEVERAL MICHIGAN SOILS

BY

KENNETH M. PRETTY

M

A THESIS

Submitted to the College of Agriculture of Michigan State
University of Agriculture and Applied Science
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE

Department of Soil Science \--

1955

THESIS

Ii
1|
1

1

 

 

ABSTRACT

Field studies were conducted on three soils to compare the
effect of liming materials varying in composition, neutralizing value,
and degree of fineness on the rate of change of soil reaction, content
of exchangeable bases, and the percent base saturation. In addition,
the chemical availability of phosphorus and potassium and the yields
of the crops grown on the experimental areas were used as criteria
in assessing the relative merits of the various liming materials.

Similar studies were carried out with five soils in the green-
house. Equivalent amounts of three liming materials were applied
in quantities equal to the lime requirement. Samples of alfalfa,
the indicator crOp, were analyzed for phosphorus to determine the
effect of lime on the content and uptake of this element. Soil sam-
ples were taken at two-month intervals to measure changes in.soil
reaction resulting from the application of the three liming materials.
Available phosphorus and potassium were determined on soil samples
taken following the last harvest of alfalfa.

Lime requirement showed a relatively high degree of correla—

tion with the hydrogen-ion concentration and the percent base satura-

tion prior to liming, especially on the poorly buffered Kalkaska sand.

ii

362866

However, applying lime to field soils as a fractional part of the total
lime requirement in order to reach a desired pH level did not prove
to be an accurate method. Although in the field, lime applications
did notraise the pH to the values expected by laboratory tests, ap—
plications of lime equal to the lime requirement under greenhouse
conditions exceeded the theoretical values.

One year after the application of lime the differences in pH,
percent base saturation, and total exchangeable bases resulting from
the use of comparable rates of the various materials were very
slight. Significant correlation existed between changes in the hydrogen-
ion concentration and changes in the content of exchangeable bases and
the percent base saturation for any one soil.

Calcitic limestone meal increased the pH more rapidly than
did dolomitic meal of comparable fineness. Pulverized dolomitic
limestone increased the pH more quickly than any of the materials
studied, while water-quenched calcium silicate slag was the least
reactive material used.

Yields of sweet clover were significantly increased by the
higher rates of application of lime to the Kalkaska sand, especially
where the pulverized dolomitic limestone was used. Lime had no
appreciable effect upon the yields of wheat, corn, and oats grown
on the Warsaw loam and Hillsdale sandy loam soils.

iii

In the greenhouse, the total yield of alfalfa was significantly
increased by additions of calcium carbonate and pulverized dolomitic
limestone to the Hillsdale sandy loam, and by additions of the dolo-
mitic lime and calcium silicate slag to the Kalkaska sand. No sig-
nificant changes in the total yield of alfalfa occurred as a result of
liming the Brookston clay loam, Fox sandy loam, and Warsaw loam
soils.

In the field there was no significant correlation between
changes in the hydrogen-ion concentration after liming and changes
in the chemical availability of phosphorus and potassium. Lime
tended to slightly lower the level of phosphorus in the greenhouse
soils.

The phosphoruscontent and total uptake of phosphorus by
alfalfa was increased by liming, particularly with calcium carbonate

and pulverized dolomitic limestone.

a‘,‘ I. “H2 /0//7/5‘.s*
9? Leaf

iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to express his sincere appreciation to Dr.
W. W. McCall for his unfailing interest, valuable assistance, and con—
stant supervision during the course of this investigation.

Grateful thanks is extended to Dr. R. L. Cook, under whose
inspiration, guidance, and counsel this study was undertaken, and for
his continued interest in the progress of the investigation.

The writer also wishes to thank Dr. K. Lawton for his help-
ful suggestions concerning certain analytical procedures, and his
fellow graduate students for their co-operation and assistance at all
times.

The financial support of the Michigan Limestone Producer's

Association is herewith gratefully acknowledged.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Soil reaction .............................

Exchangeable bases and percent base saturation

Availability

Crop yields

of phosphorus and potassium .........

G reenhous e Studie s ...........................

Soil reaction .............................

Phosphorus
by alfalfa

content and uptake of phosphorus

vi

1?

l7

18

24

24

2.5

25

26

26

26

35

45

54

58

58

62

Availability of phosphorus and potassium in
the soil . . . .' .............................

vii

Page

69
74

79

TABLE

II.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

LIST OF TABLES

Some Characteristics of the Liming Materials

Used in the Experiments ..................

Some Physical and Chemical Characteristics

of the Soils Used in These Studies ...........

The Effect of Rate of Application and Fineness
of Dolomitic Limestone on the Rate of Change

of Soil Reaction in a Warsaw Loam Soil .......

The Effect of Rate of Application and Type of
Lime on the Rate of Change of Soil Reaction

in a Hillsdale Sandy Loam Soil .............

The Effect of Rate of Application and Type of
Lime on the Rate of Change of Soil Reaction

in a Kalkaska Sand Soil ..................

The Effect of Rate of Application and Fineness
of Dolomitic Limestone on the Content of
Exchangeable Bases and the Percent Base

Saturation of a Warsaw Loam Soil ...........

The Effect of Rate of Application and Type of
Lime on the Content of Exchangeable Bases
and the Percent Base Saturation of a Hillsdale

Sandy Loam Soil .......................

The Effect of Rate of Application and Type of
Lime on the Content of Exchangeable Bases
and the Percent Base Saturation of a Kalkaska

Sand Soil .............................

The Effect of Rate of Application and Fineness
of Dolomitic Limestone on the Availability of
Phosphorus and Potassium in a Warsaw Loam

Soil ................................

Page

19

22

27

31

34

37

4O

43

46

TABLE Page

X. The Effect of Type and Rate of Application of
Lime on the Availability of Phosphorus and
Potassium in a Hillsdale Sandy Loam Soil ...... 48

XI. The Effect of Rate of Application and Type of
Lime on the Availability of Phosphorus and
Potassium in a Kalkaska Sand Soil ............ 50

XII. The Effect of Rate of Application and Fineness
of Dolomitic Limestone on the Yield of Winter
Wheat Grown on a Warsaw Loam Soil ......... 55

XIII. The Effect of Rate of Application and Type of
Lime on the Yield of Corn and Oats Grown on
a Hillsdale Sandy Loam Soil ................ 56

XIV. The Effect of Rate of Application and Type of
Lime on the Yield of Sweet Clover Grown on
a Kalkaska Sand Soil ..................... 57

XV. The Effect of Three Liming Materials on the
Rate of Change of Soil Reaction in Five
Greenhouse Soils ........................ 59

XVI. The Effect of Three Liming Materials on the
Yield of Alfalfa Grown on Five Soils in the
Greenhouse ............................ 61

XVII. The Effect of Three Liming Materials on the
Phosphorus Content and Uptake of Phosphorus
by Alfalfa Grown on Five Greenhouse Soils ...... 67

XVIII. The Effect of Three Liming Materials on the

Availability of Phosphorus and Potassium in
Five Greenhouse Soils .................... 7O

ix

Figure

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

The effect of applying six tons per acre of fine
and coarse dolomitic limestone on the rate of
change of soil reaction in a Warsaw loam soil . . . . 30

The effect of three liming materials, applied

in amounts equal to the lime requirement, on

the rate of change of soil reaction in a Hills-

dale sandy loam soil ...................... 32

The effect of four liming materials, applied in

amounts equal to the lime requirement, on the

rate of change of soil reaction in a Kalkaska

sand soil ............................... 36

Plate

LIST OF PLATES

The effect of lime on the
Brookston clay loam soil

g rowth

The effect of lime on the growth

Warsaw loam soil .........................

The effect of lime on the
Hillsdale sandy loam soil

The effect of lime on the

Kalkaska sand soil .........................

xi

alfalfa

Page

63

64

65

66

INTRODUCTION

Lime, in its various forms, has been used throughout the world
for the correction of soil acidity for many centuries. However, since
the beginning of the twentieth century its use has steadily increased,
especially in regions of relatively abundant rainfall and consequently
rapid leaching.

The value of lime as a soil amendment and its effect upon
many chemical, physical, and bi010gical processes in the soil has
been established, at least in a general way. Because of these many
and varied effects upon the soil and the plants which grow on it, it
becomes especially desirable to obtain a clear understanding of any
changes which result from the use of different liming materials when
applied to divergent types of soil, as well as to ascertain whether or
not present liming practices are adequate to give maximum cr0p
yield and quality.

With an increase in the use of lime by Michigan farmers
many new liming materials have been offered for sale throughout the
state. One of the primary aims of this investigation was to compare
some of these liming materials varying in composition, fineness, and

neutralizing value. The main criterion for comparison was the rate

of change of soil reaction as measured by pH, total exchangeable
bases, and percent base saturation.

It has been pointed out on numerous occasions that because
of differences in the clay and organic matter content of soils, liming
recommendations based upon pH alone may give quite erroneous and
misleading results. The fact remains, however, that the determination
of soil reaction is one of the easiest and most informative soil tests
yet devised. It is still widely used as a criterion for assessing lime
needs. To study some of these variations, soils were selected which
offered a considerable range in clay and organic matter contents.

A great deal of research work has been conducted on the ef-
fect of lime on the availability of phosphorus and potassium in the
soil. Although general trends in availability have been established,
conflicting evidence is present and differences of opinion do exist.

As a supplementary phase of this study, phosphorus and potassium
determinations were made on all field and greenhouse samples to
show any changes which took place in the chemical availability of
these two elements as the pH and percent base saturation increased

due to liming.

REVIEW OF LITERATUR E

If the value of an agricultural practice can be determined by
its age and widespread usage, then that of liming soils must rank as
one of the most firmly established practices in the humid temperate
regions of-the world. Truog (65) has commented that liming of the
soil was practiced before the Christian era, but lagged in this country
for many years due to the lack of scientific knowledge and satisfac-
tory methods to determine the actual needs and the pr0per use of
lime. He credits Edmund Ruffin (1794-1865), a practical Virginian
farmer, with being the first man in the United States to recognize
the prevalence of soil acidity and conduct liming experiments. In
assessing the value of liming, Truog has stated that ”it [liming] must
be the very backbone of profitable crop production, soil conservation
and permanent agriculture in the humid regions of this country."

The actual benefits derived from liming acid soils have long
been the subject of intensive investigation and debate. Some workers
(1, 47) have suggested that much of the deleterious effect of acid soils
upon plant growth is due to a lack of sufficient exchangeable calcium.
Others have stated that this reduced growth on acid soils is due

either to the direct injurious effect of the hydrogen ion on plant roots

(26) or to a combination of factors, including the influence of lime
on the availability, uptake, and/or reduction in toxicity of other ele-
ments (5, 32, 49, 53, 61). Arnon and Johnson (4), using careful
studies with nutrient solutions and sand cultures, have shown that
many plant species can make normal growth at pH values as low
as those encountered in most acid soils, provided adequate calcium
is supplied.

Peech (49) included the direct nutritional value of calcium and
magnesium, the improvement of soil physical condition, the stimula-
tion of microbial activity, the neutralization of hydrogen ions, and the
influence on the fixation, toxicity, and leaching of many nutrient ele-
ments among the primary benefits of liming. Kelley (32), in a com-
prehensive review, considered calcium to be of greater fundamental
importance than nitrOgen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil,
while Truog (66) has related soil acidity and liming to the availa-
bility of the majority of the plant nutrients in the soil.

Numerous methods have been devised to determine the amount
of lime to apply to correct an acid soil condition. Peech and Brad-
field (52) have divided lime requirement methods into several groups
depending upon the technique employed. These are: (a) determina—
tion of exchangeable hydrOgen; (b) rapid determination of the lime

requirement; (c) determination of soil reaction; (d) determination of

exchangeable calcium and degree of calcium saturation; and (e) de-
termination of readily soluble aluminum, iron, and manganese. The
authors have pointed out some of the advantages and' limitations of

these various methods.

Of the methods now in use for determining lime needs, those
involving rapid determination of the exchangeable hydrogen are per-
haps most common. The term I‘lime requirement" has been used
to denote the amount of lime that must be applied to the soil to
bring the reaction to neutral or some desired pH. Some of these
rapid lime requirement methods have made use of calcium hydroxide
titrations (22, 23, 65), while others are based on a single extraction
of exchangeable hydrogen with some salt solution and subsequent
titration of this extract with a standard base solution (12, 15, 30).
Shimp (62), from his studies on several Michigan soils, concluded
that the determination of exchangeable hydrogen was the best known
method for determining lime requirement, since it correlated more
closely with the lime requirement when compared to other chemical
properties studied.

Of the chemical methods for estimating the lime needs of
soils, the soil reaction test is by fanthe simplest and most com-
monly employed. Peech and Bradfield (52) stated that "quite aside

from ecological significance, the simple test for soil reaction affords

the most useful single value characteristic for estimating the lime
needs of soils.” They further suggested that the use of a 1:1 soil—
water ratio appeared to be the best for routine soil reaction deter-
minations.

Bray and DeTurk (l3) cautioned against the use of hydrogen
ion concentration as a measure of lime requirement due to differ-
ences in soils with respect to base exchange capacity. They found
poor correlation between pH and degree of base saturation in soils
less than 60 percent base saturated. Others (41) have pointed to the
unreliability of the pH-percent base saturation relationship existing
in soils of varying type.

Mehlich (40) showed that the base unsaturation-pH relation-
ship is a specific expression of the base exchange mineral present
and is therefore not influenced by exchange capacity or buffer ac-
tivity. He concluded that in order to determine lime needs it is
only necessary to measure the base exchange capacity and pH or
base exchange capacity and base unsaturation. It has been shown for
several Michigan soils (62) that pH alone does not give an accurate
liming value for soils of widely varying textures and exchange ca-
pacities. Furthermore, the pH—percent base saturation relationship
is too imperfect to use as a single factor in lime requirement de—

terminations.

Peech and Bradfield (52) have summarized their discussion
on lime requirement determinations by stating that ”not until the
causes of the poor growth of plants on acid soils and the nature of
the response of crops to liming are thoroughly understood, will it
be possible to evaluate properly the relative usefulness of the differ-
ent chemical methods that have been proposed for the estimation of
the lime needs of soils.‘I

The fact that response to liming depends to a certain extent
on the nature of the clay minerals in the soil has been recognized
by several investigators. Marshall (38), studying complete titration
curves of montmorillonite and kaolinite with calcium hydroxide,
showed that with additions up to 70 percent saturation, conditions for
uptake by plants from montmorillonite did not materially improve.

In the case of kaolinite, a gradual transition was found in the release
of calcium with increasing saturation. This was explained by the
fact that below 70 percent saturation, montmorillonitic clays have a
higher energy of adsorption for the calcium ion, while kaolinite re-
leases calcium with equal ease irrespective of the degree of satura-
tiOn. Reed and Cummings (57) pointed out that in soils with colloids
of the 2:1 type, a higher degree of calcium saturation and a higher

calcium level are required for good growth than is necessary for

soils of the 1:1 type colloid. They also found a need for considerably
higher lime levels on soils high in organic matter.

Miles (43) showed that with a low exchange capacity, relatively
small amounts of calcium are required to effect the desired degree
of saturation. On several poorly buffered North Carolina soils, the
degree of saturation required for most general crops was found to
be between 40 and 60 percent for soils of the kaolinitic type.

The rate of application of liming materials to the soil with
re3pect to the desired level of calcium saturation and pH has been
the subject of considerable research. Truog (65) originally suggested
that sufficient lime should be added to bring the soil reaction to a
pH of from 6.5 to 7.0. Others (56) have suggested a similar soil
reaction depending upon the crops being grown. Bear and Toth (9)
prOposed a level of 65 percent calcium saturation as being ideal for
the majority of soils, while Bray and DeTurk (13) felt it was not ad—
visable to maintain a degree of base saturation over 80 percent due
to the extra leaching above this point. Lipman 213.1. (34) indicated
that it was not necessary to fully satisfy the lime requirement of the
soil in order to obtain good results.

It is known that the source, composition, and fineness of the
liming material exerts a strong influence on the rate of change of

soil reaction and over-all crop response. Calcitic and dolomitic

limestones have largely replaced some of the older materials such
as hydrated lime. However, many refuse and by-product liming ma—
terials are now being offered for sale.

Davis (19) reported that dolomitic limestone produced the
highest yields of crimson clover while calcitic limestone gave the
highest yields of Sudan grass. However, he found that the high cal—
cium lime raised the pH of the soil more than the corresponding
grade of dolomitic stone. Lipman and his associates (34) showed
that liming increased crop yields, especially legumes, with only a
slight difference in favor of the dolomitic limestone. Morgan and
Salter (46) found a slower rate of reaction for dolomitic materials
when compared with high calcium carbonates, while Naftel (48), using
six crops in a greenhouse study, obtained a greater response from
a mixed calcium and magnesium lime than from calcium lime alone,
especially on lighter soils. Millar and Grantham (45) concluded that
any of the grades of ground limestone which they used in their ex-
periments were more economical sources of lime than the hydrated
lime. Schollenberger (60) found that natural dolomite was 50 percent
less reactant than the high calcium materials studied, while basic
slag was the least reactive material tested.

Perhaps more important than the basic composition of the

liming material in determining the rate of change of soil reaction is

10
the degree of fineness. Albrecht and Smith (2) found a substantial
increase in the growth of sweet clover seeded with oats when 300
pounds of lO-mesh lime per acre was drilled in at time of seeding.
They suggested that a few foci of less soluble limestone in a soil
volume, reacting slowly with the clay, are more effective in provid-
ing the plant with calcium than the more soluble forms reacting rap-
idly with the clay. However, Bray and DeTurk (13) noted that over
a five-year period, limestone screenings were only 75 to 80 percent
as effective as finely pulverized limestones. In pot tests with sweet
clover more than twice as much 8- to lO-mesh limestone was re-
quired for good growth as lOO-mesh limestone. Davis (19) obtained
highest yields of crimson clover and Sudan grass over a seven-year
period using 60- to lOO-mesh limestone. He recommended that 100
percent of the lime should pass a lO-mesh screen and 50 percent
should pass a 60-mesh screen.

Morgan and Salter (46) stated that the fineness to which dolo-
mitic limestones are ground is of greater relative importance than
is the case with high calcium limestones. However, they felt that
with a dolomitic limestone containing considerable lOO-mesh material,
the rate of solubility would be sufficiently rapid for all practical
purposes. Maclntire 33.31. (35) found that there was little difference

between the availability of ground limestone, ground dolomite, and

ll
hydrated lime, when the limestones were between 100 and 200 mesh.
Webster and co-workers (68) noted that potassium permanganate
titration values were influenced by actual surface area exposed and
the Mg:Ca ratios of twenty-eight samples of agricultural limestone
meals. Measurements made on equivalent-sized particles of calcitic
and dolomitic limes showed that the calcium stones had a faster rate
of dissolution in hydrOgen- saturated clay suspensions.

Early experiments in Michigan (39) showed that hydrated lime
and limestone finer than, 80—mesh gave superior yields of rye than
marl, 40— to 60-mesh, or 10- to ZO-mesh limestone. Later recom-
mendations (44) called for limestone ground so that “practically all
will pass a lO-mesh screen and at least one-third will pass an 80-
mesh screen.”

Beacher p.131 (8) reported that coarse dolomitic limestone was
less soluble and less effective in promoting growth of crimson clover
than a calcium stone of equal size. It was also less effective in rais-
ing the pH and lowering the content of hydrogen, aluminum, and man-
ganese in the soil. On six Maryland soils (28), increasing the quantity
of liming material added to the soil increased the pH value more than
did a greater degree of fineness, while another study (42) indicated

that in order for agricultural limestone grades to be effective during

12
the first year after application, a large portion of it must be finer
than 40-mesh.

Numerous other investigators (16, 18, 31) have rec0gnized the
need for liming materials of sufficient fineness to meet immediate
needs, yet coarse enough to exert an influence over a period of sev-
eral years. Particular attention should be given to the degree of
fineness where immediate or first-year results are desired (56).

Of the many phases of soil acidity and liming which have been
studied, perhaps none has been more thoroughly investigated than the
effect which these conditions exert upon the availability of native and
added plant nutrients. Foremost in this regard have been the studies
on phosphorus. Beater (10) has reported that increasing the pH to
certain specified levels by lime additions prior to planting resulted
in a 20 percent increase in the concentration of phosPhates in the
dry material of plants studied, while Davis and Brewer (20) found
that a deficiency of calcium limited the normal uptake of phosphorus
by plants growing on four Louisiana soils.

Results obtained by Salter and Barnes (58) on eleven crops
grown in the field indicated that the lack of response to superphos-
phate under slightly neutral conditions created by liming was largely
due to the fact that the lime had increased the availability of the

native soil phosphorus so that the plants required no additional

l3
phosphorus in the form of fertilizer. Toth and Bear (64) found that
as calcium was introduced into the exchange complex, the phosphorus
adsorbing power decreased on these limed soils. They suggested
that the exchangeable calcium was functioning primarily to adsorb
soluble phosphate ions as insoluble calcium phosPhates. They further
concluded that generalizations on the behavior of added phosphorus
cannot be based on pH values alone, but rather on the cation exchange
capacity and the type of profile.

Scarseth and Tidmore (59) found that calcium carbonate de-
creased the availability of various phosphates. This effect decreased
as the length of time the calcium carbonate had been in the soil in—
creased from O to 365 days. When free calcium carbonate was no
longer present in the soil the availability of the phosphates increased.
It was thought that hydrolysis of calcium carbonate and calcium bi-
carbonate in the soil solution allowed the calcium to unite with the
soluble phosphorus to form relatively insoluble tricalcium phosphate.
When equilibrium was finally established between the calcium car—
bonate and the soil acids, that is, when all the available free calcium
carbonate had been used up, more phosphorus was available and in-
creased yields were obtained.

Pierre and Browning (55) suggested that the depression of phos-

phorus availability on several Iowa soils by an increase in lime was

14
not contradictory to previously established evidence. Plants grown
on soils to which large amounts of lime had recently been added
sometimes showed symptoms of phosphate starvation and responded
markedly to high phosphate fertilization, but this temporary condition
was gradually overcome and the lime slowly increased the availability
of phosphorus. Working with several Michigan soils, Cook (17) was
able to show that increasing the degree of base saturation resulted
in significant increases in the amount of readily available phosphorus
in seven soils and slight increases in two others. Lime also helped
to preserve the availability of added soluble phosphates.

Although the effect of lime on the availability of potassium
has been the subject of a number of studies, considerable variation
in the results have been obtained. MacIntire and his associates (36)
found that different liming materials reduced the loss of replaceable
' potassium in rainwater leachings from lysimeters over a fifteen-year
period. They concluded that lime additions increase the proportion
of solid-phase potash to soluble potash. Jenny and Shade (29) sug—
gested that calcium carbonate may liberate adsorbed potassium,
which in turn may be reabsorbed by microorganisms, the activity of
the organisms having been favored by the lime treatment. This may
account for the often noticed abnormalities in the release of potassium

by lime .

15

Allaway and Pierre (3) found that as the content of free cal-
cium carbonate in the surface layer of several unproductive Iowa
soils increased, the content of exchangeable potassium decreased
and fixation as nonexchangeable potassium increased. Other Iowa
workers (54) felt that at least a part of the contradictory results of
the effect of lime on potassium absorption obtained by various inves—
tigators could be explained on the basis of the species of plants used
in the studies. Different plants are apparently affected in varying
ways by different calcium and potassium levels and ratios.

Peech and Bradfield (51) have questioned whether moderate
applications of lime under practical field conditions promote a sig—
nificant conversion of native or added potassium into nonexchangeable
forms. They found that on acid soils lime decreased the potassium
in the soil solution due to the increase in the amount of adsorbed
calcium. When applied to soils already well saturated with calcium,
lime liberated the adsorbed potassium and increased its concentration
in the soil solution. On slightly acid soils, where the influence of
the small increase in the calcium saturation just offset the liberative
effect of the calcium ions brought into solution, lime had no effect
on the potassium concentration in the soil solution. The presence or
absence of neutral salts of strong acids was also found to be a factor

in determining the fixation or liberation of potassium by lime. The

16
authors concluded by stating that ”when the experimental conditions
are pr0perly evaluated, the apparently conflicting results reported
concerning the Ca:K relationships in the soil and in plants are indeed

in fairly good agreement."

EXPERIMENTAL PR OCEDUR E

Field Studies

Three soils, Warsaw loam, Hillsdale sandy loam, and Kalkaska
sand, were used in the present study. A general description of these
soils has been given by Veatch (67).

With the exception of the Kalkaska location, the experimental
areas were divided into six blocks separated by 15—foot alleys, each
of which contained eight plots. At the Kalkaska location the area
was divided into four blocks separated by 25-foot alleys, each block
containing twelve plots. All plots were 50 feet long and 24 feet wide.

Lime was applied to the Cass County plots in October, 1953,
and to the Hillsdale and Kalkaska plots in April and May of 1954,
respectively. The lime requirement of these latter two groups of
plots was determined by the method of Bradfield and Allison (12).
From these values the amounts of lime necessary to apply in order
to bring the pH levels to 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, and-7.5 were calculated. One-
half of the lime was applied previous to plowing and one-half after

plowing, using an 8—foot lime distributor calibrated to spread the

required amount.

17

18

The type of lime used varied with the location depending upon
the sources most widely used in the region. At the Hillsdale and
Kalkaska locations calcitic and dolomitic limestones were compared.
In addition, a pulverized dolomitic stone was used as a standard or
reference material at both locations. A water-quenched calcium sil-
icate slag was also included in the Kalkaska plots. In Cass County
two dolomitic limestones differing only in degree of fineness were
used at varying rates of application. Some of the characteristics of
the various liming materials are given in Table 1.

Soil samples were taken from all plots prior to treatment.
Five samplings were obtained from the Cass County plots over a
one-year period from October, 1953, to October, 1954. Similarly,
four samplings were taken from the Hillsdale plots during the period
from April, 1954, to April, 1955, while three samplings were obtained
from the Kalkaska plots during the eleven—month period from May,
1954, to April, 1955. Each plot sample consisted of fifteen to twenty

soil cores to a depth of 5 or 6 inches.
Greenhouse Studies

A. greenhouse experiment was begun in September of 1954
using five soils, Warsaw loam, Hillsdale sandy loam, Kalkaska sand,

Fox sandy loam, and Brookston clay loam. The Warsaw, Hillsdale,

19

TABLE I

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LIMING MATERIALS
USED IN THE EXPERIMENTS

 

 

Location of

 

 

 

 

T
Experiment ype Grade
Cass County .............. Dolomitic Pulverized
Dolomitic Meal
Hillsdale County ........... Calcitic Meal
Dolomitic Pulverized
. . 1 .
Dolomitic Pulverized
Kalkaska County ........... Calcitic Meal
Dolomitic Meal
, l
Dolomitic Pulverized
Calcium Silicate Slag
Greenhouse .............. Calcium Carbonate
l .
Dolomitic Pulverized
Calcium Silicate Slag
1 m r—-—— 1 1a.?— V 333:1: 1‘? m

 

Pulverized dolomitic limestone used as a reference lime
at all locations except Cass County.

TABLE I (Continued)

20

 

Sc re en Analysis

 

 

Neutral- m fl W fl
Source izing Pct. Pct. Pct.

Value Through Through Through

8 Mesh 40 Mesh 100 Mesh
Joliet, Ill. 108.6 98 90 71
Joliet, Ill. 108.6 63 14 6
Bellevue, Mich. 85.8 89 27 10
Woodville, Ohio 105.9 100 100 91
Woodville, Ohio 106.4 100 100 91
Charlevoix, Mich. 97.8 98 55 28
Drummond Island, Mich. 104.7 99 46 23
Woodville, Ohio 106.4 100 100 91
East Chicago, Ill. 87.4 95 46 22
100.0 100 100 100
Woodville, Ohio 106.4 100 100 91
East Chicago, Ill. 87.4 95 46 22

 

—

21
and Kalkaska soils were obtained from the same areas in which field
studies were being conducted. Some of the physical and chemical
characteristics of these five soils are given in Table II.

Eight thousand grams of air-dried soil, which had previously
been screened through a one-quarter inch screen, was placed in two-
gallon glazed clay pots. Prior to potting, the soil was mixed with
5-20-20 fertilizer at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Also, equiv-
alent amounts of three liming materials, sufficient to satisfy the lime
requirement as determined by the Bradfield-Allison method, were
thoroughly mixed with the soil in each series of pots. Each of the
treaiznents, as listed below, was replicated three times.

1. Reprecipitated calcium carbonate, neutralizing value 100.

2. Pulverized dolomitic limestone, neutralizing value 106.

3. Water-quenched calcium silicate slag, neutralizing value 87.

4. No lime.

On September 10, Ranger alfalfa was planted and later thinned
to twelve plants per pot. The soil was maintained at or near the
moisture equivalent throughout the growth period by the frequent
addition of distilled water. The pots were arranged in a random
manner on three large tables which could be rotated at regular inter-
vals to lessen any bias due to a more favored position on the table.

Artificial lights were used to lengthen the light period to fifteen or

22

TABLE II

SOME PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE SOILS USED IN THESE STUDIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

3i 1 —n m:— + #4 L . A.
Mechanical
Analysis Pct. Cation
Soil ,
T Location v v ~ fl Organic Exchange
YPe .
Pct. Pct. Pct. Matter Capac1ty
Sand Silt Clay1
Brook— Sec 21, T6N, 40 31 29 3.69 16.49
ston RZW, Cook
clay Farm, Clinton
loam County
Warsaw Sec 20, T6S, 44 43 13 5.27 15.26
loamz R14W, Spencer
Farm, Cass
County
Hillsdale Sec 16, T65, 72 19 9 2.73 4.81
sandy R4W, Marshall
loam Farm, Hills-
dale County
Fox Sec 31, T6N, 74 19 7 1.58 4.67
sandy RlOE, Ferguson
loam3 Farm, Lapeer
County
Kalkaska Sec 5, T20N, 90 7 3 1.02 3.17
sand R6W, McCool
Farm, Kalkaska
County

3 A 4%

Less than 2 microns.
This soil is now classified as Wea loam.

This soil is now classified as Metea sandy loam.

23
sixteen hours per day. Three cuttings of alfalfa were obtained from
each culture over a six-month period ending March 10, 1955. The
alfalfa growing in each pot was harvested when it reached a certain
stagepof maturity; that is, when three or four blossoms appeared.
The harvested material was oven—dried at 60°C., weighed, ground in
a Wiley mill, and saved for subsequent analysis.

Soil samples were taken from each pot at two-month inter-
vals, a total of three samplings. Each sample consisted of three

cores the entire depth of the pot.

ME T HODS OF ANALY SIS
Soils

The soil from each field and greenhouse sampling was air-
dried and screened through a 2-millimeter sieve prior to analysis.

All pH measurements were made on 1:1 soil-water suspen-
sions, using a Beckman Model H-2 glass electrode pH meter. The
suspensions were stirred intermittently during a fifteen-minute period,
after which the determinations were made. The method of Bradfield
and Allison (12) was employed to determine the lime requirement of
the original samples. The method used in determining exchange ca-
pacity and total exchangeable bases was similar to that outlined by
Peech (50), except that the ammonia was determined by Kjeldahl
distillation and subsequent titration rather than by nesslerization.
Total exchangeable bases were determined directly by back titration
of the acidified ammonium acetate residue, which had previously been
ashed in a muffle furnace at 390°C. for thirty minutes.

Available phosphorus was measured by two methods, that of
Spurway (63), using 0.13 N HCl as the extracting solution, and that
of Bray (14), using a mixture of 0.025 N HCl and 0.03 N ammonium
fluoride as the extracting solution. The Spurway method was also

24

25
employed for the determination of available potassium. Colorimetric
determinations of phosphorus and potassium by the Spurway method
were made with a Cenco-Sheard-Sanford Photoelometer, while a
Lumetron Model 400—A Colorimeter was employed for determining
phosphorus by the Bray method.

Mechanical analysis of the five soils studied was determined
by the hydrometer method (11). The combustion train method of

Hopper (27) was used to estimate the organic matter content.
Plants

The total phosphorus content of the alfalfa grown in the. green-
house was determined by the molybdivanadophosphoric acid method
as outlined by Kitson and Mellon (33). A Coleman Model 14 Univer—
sal Spectrophotometer, equipped with a 4600 Angstrom filter, was

used to measure light transmission.
Lime

The neutralizing values and screen analyses for the various
liming materials were determined by the standard A.O.A.C. methods

(6).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Field Studie 5

Soil reaction. The effect of varying rates and fineness of

m

 

dolomitic limestone on the rate of change of soil reaction in a War—
saw loam soil is given in Table III. Five months after lime applica-
tion, the lower rate of application of pulverized dolomite limestone
had increased the soil pH slightly more than four-tenths of a unit,
while the lO-ton application had raised it a full unit. The differences
between the 6-, 8-, and lO-ton applications were very small. The
dolomitic meal showed increases in‘pH ranging from about three-
tenths of a unit with the 2-ton-per-acre application to a maximum

of six- to seven-tenths of aiunit with the 6-, 8-, and lO-ton rates.
The more rapid rise in pH on those plots receiving the fine lime
was due to the larger content of material which passed through a
lOO-mesh screen.

Two months later the majority of the plots showed a slight
decrease in pH, this reduction being greatest on those plots which
received the higher rates of application, especially where the fine
lime was used. It is possible that part of this decrease may have
been seasonal, due to the increased utilization of calcium by the

26

27
TABLE III
THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND FINENESS OF

DOLOMITIC LIMESTONE ON THE RATE OF CHANGE OF
SOIL REACTION IN A WARSAW LOAM SOIL

 

77' r: lg t: ‘7 '

r:— L fr. :E' f a1 —a—-

 

 

 

Rate Months After Lime Application
(tons fi -L ~~wvv fi fi v w“—
i
per F neness 0a 5 7 9 12
acre) (pH) (pH) (pH) (pH) (pH)
2 Fine 5.85b 6.29 6.11 6.12 6.06
Coarse 5.66 5.97 5.97 5.85 5.93
4 Fine 5.84 6.43 6.35 6.37 6.08
Coarse 5.76 6.17 6.13 6.11 6.10
6 Fine 5.74 6.82 6.30 6.56 6.37
Coarse 5.66 6.34 6.15 6.31 6.16
8 Fine 5.78 6.71 6.35 6.82 6.50
Coarse 5.75 6.41 6.29 6.39 6.24
10 Fine 5.74 6.68 6.50 6.55 6.48
Coarse 5.82 6.43 6.35 6.31 6.25
None 5.76 5.74 5.76 5.75 5.89

b

pH prior to lime application.

5 All pH values based on the average hydrogen-ion concentra-
tion of we: replications.

2.8
deve10ping wheat plants, as well as to increased leaching of calcium
and soluble salts caused by heavy spring rains.

Samples taken nine months after lime application, in July of
1954, indicated that only moderate changes in pH had taken place
since the previous sampling. With the higher rates of application,
gains in pH were almost sufficient to offset the decreases which
occurred between the fifth- and seventh-month samplings. Hester
and Shelton (25) attributed increasing soil acidity during the summer
months to lighter rainfall and heavier evaporation from the soil and
plants, thus decreasing the leaching of soluble salts. Baver (7)
suggested that an increase in soil acidity during the summer months
was due to a dehydration of the soil colloids as well as an accumu-
lation of soluble salts. It is possible that these factors may have
restricted increases in pH throughout the summer season on the Cass
County plots.

Twelve months after lime application, the differences in pH
between areas treated with the pulverized and meal limes ranged from
a low of about one—tenth of a unit to a high of three-tenths of a unit.
These slight differences are no doubt indicative of the fact that a
considerable portion of the fine lime had already reacted with the soil.

The changes in soil reaction which took place during the twelve-month

Z9
interval as a result of applying six tons per acre of the two liming
materials is further illustrated in Figure 1.

It is noteworthy that at no time during the course of the ex-
periment did any of the plots reach neutrality, even with the lO-ton
rates of application. This indicates a very high buffer capacity for
the Warsaw loam, a prairie soil which is relatively high in organic
matter.

On the Hillsdale sandy loam soil, calcium limestone meal at
four levels of application was compared with two pulverized dolomitic
limestones, one applied at the same relative rates, the other at only
two rates. These two dolomitic stones were obtained from the same
source, the one being a bulk lime, the other a bagged material which
was used as a standard or reference lime in several experiments.
The rate of application was determined from the lime requirement
by calculating the amount of lime necessary to give a desired pH
level. These pH levels were 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, and 7.5.

As indicated in Table IV, there was a moderate degree of
correlation between the initial pH values and the lime requirement.
The lime requirement varied considerably between plots, even prior
to any treatment. The pH changes for all treatments were very
slight during the one-year interval following incorporation of the

lime into the soil. The data in Figure 2 illustrate the changes in

 

30

 

 

1. Fine lime
(”81+ —--- Coarse lime
6.6a-
6.41b
’\
/ \
/ \ //\
/ \ / \\
H6 2‘. / \ / \
P ' / \ / \
/ \/ \
/
/
/
/
6.0" /
/
/
/
/
/
5.84
/
/
/
/
5.6..
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Months After Lime Application
Figure l. The effect of applying six tons per acre of fine and coarse
dolomitic limestone on the rate of change of soil reaction

in a Warsaw loam soil.

31
TABLE IV
THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND TYPE OF LIME

ON THE RATE OF CHANGE OF SOIL REACTION IN A
HILLSDALE SANDY LOAM SOIL

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jr z W :=:—~:J J m
Llir:f ijte Months After
pH to Lime Application
Type of Lime be At— (2111:: A321,)? 4 4
tained e C 1 n 03 3 4 12
”b“ ”b“ ( H) < H) < H) ( H)
acre) acre) P P P P
Calcitic limes. 6.0 10,000 3,300 5.5410 5.64 5.85 6.06
“we meal 6.5 9,300 6,200 5.50 5.99 5.93 6.00
7.0 7,800 8,000 5.59 5.94 6.05 6.14
7.5 7,500 9,300 5.54 5.69 5.94 6.00
Pulverized 6.0 10,200 3,700 5.41 5.98 5.96 6.14
d°1°mit1° hme‘ 6.5 9,100 6,200 5.48 5.77 6.08 6.00
stone
7.0 8,200 8,500 5.57 6.10 6.23 6.21
7.5 6,600 8,700 5.62 6.34 6.18 6.41
Reference 6.5 8,600 5,700 5.45 5.95 "6.05 6.02
limeC
7.0 8,200 8,500 5.50 6.06 6.20 6.25
No lime 8,700 5.52 5.40 5.39 5.61

Correlation coefficient between lime requirement and hydrogen-ion
concentration before liming equals +0.450.**

 

M. I

a pH prior to lime application.

b All pH values based on the average hydrogen-ion concentra-
tion of four replications.

c Pulverized dolomitic limestone.

>:<>:< Significant at the 1 percent level.

32

 

6.40 . . .
Calc1t1c limestone meal
—..-—- Pulverized dolomitic limestone
— —— Reference lime
6.2» ., ~- - °-°-

 

 

5.40-

 

5.2 4 If

0 3 6 9 12

 

db

Months After Lime Application

Figure 2. The effect of three liming materials, applied in amounts
equal to the lime requirement, on the rate of change of
soil reaction in a Hillsdale sandy loam soil.

33
pH which occurred during this time as a result of applying three
liming materials in theoretically sufficient quantities to attain a pH
of 7.0. Increases in pH were greatest with the high rates of appli-
cation of pulverized dolomitic limestone. However, in spite of its
greater degree of fineness and higher neutralizing value, these dif-
ferences in pH were not appreciable. Similarly, within any group
of treatments involving a particular type of lime, the pH differences
were not related to the rates of application. Only at the lowest rate
was the desired pH level attained. This would indicate that basing
liming recommendations on the total lime requirement, or a fraction
thereof, was not necessarily an accurate method. Dunn (22) has
suggested the need to multiply the lime requirement by a "liming
factor" in order to obtain the desired pH and degree of base satura-
tion as a result of lime additions. This factor would vary depending
on the climate, soil type, and kind of liming material. .

At the Kalkaska location, dolomitic and calcitic limestone meals
were applied at comparative rates of application, calculated to give
the four pH levels indicated in Table V. In addition, a pulverized
dolomitic limestone was applied at two levels and a water-quenched
calcium silicate slag at one level.

The data in Table V show that the pH values attained at the

end of one year after liming were much closer to the calculated

34
TABLE V
THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND TYPE OF LIME

ON THE RATE OF CHANGE OF SOIL REACTION IN
A KALKASKA SAND SOIL

 

 

 

 

' t

L :3 115,6 Months After

pH to u're A 1,_ Lime Application
Type of Lime be At- ‘1 1 PP 1
, ment cation

tamed 0a 6 12
(lbs./ (lbs./ ( H) ( H) ( H)

acre) acre) P p P
Calcitic limestone 6.0 6,500 2,200 5.08b 6.00 6.06
mead 6.5 5,800 3,900 5.33 6.43 6.50
7.0 5,800 5,800 5.54 6.79 6.88
7.5 4,400 5,800 6.01 7.17 7.17
Dolomitic limestone 6.0 6,500 2,200 5.05 6.02 5.91
111611 6.5 5,800 3.900 5.47 6.41 6.44
7.0 5,100 5,100 5.67 6.61 6.58
7.5 4,400 5,800 5.94 6.77 6.86
Reference limeC 6.5 6,500 4,400 5.10 6.79 6.52
7.0 4,400 4,400 6.07 7.20 7.21
Calcium silicate slag 7.0 5,400 5,400 5.28 6.17 6.03
No lime 4,800 5.51 5.82 6.02

 

Correlation coefficient between lime requirement and hydrogen-ion
concentration before liming equals +0.802.**

 

 

a

pH prior to lime application.

All pH values based on the average hydrogen-ion concentra-

tion of four replications.

c . . .
Pulverized dolomitic limestone.

>:<>:< Significant at the 1 percent level.

 

’0

 

 

35

levels than was the case with the Hillsdale soil. This may be due
to the very low organic matter and clay content of this soil, resulting
in a low exchange capacity and low buffer capacity. Similarly there
was a much higher degree of correlation between the initial pH values
and the lime requirement with this soil than with the Hillsdale soil.

The calcitic limestone meal increased the pH only slightly
more rapidly than the dolomitic limestone of similar fineness. Al-
though the dolomitic stone was slightly coarser, it also was somewhat
higher in neutralizing value. The pulverized dolomitic lime raised
the pH more than either of the meals due to its greater proportion
of fine material. The water-quenched calcium silicate slag increased
the pH more slowly than did the same level of application of the
other three limes. This can be attributed to the lower neutralizing
value and solubility of this material.

A. further illustration of the changes in pH which occurred as
a result of applying the four liming materials in sufficient amounts

to theoretically attain pH 7.0 is given in Figure 3.

Exchangeable bases and percent base saturation. The effect

 

of lime on the content of exchangeable bases and the percent base
saturation of the Warsaw loam soil is given in Table VI. It is evi—

dent from these data that the values for these two soil properties

36

 

7‘6" Calcitic limestone meal
—.—— Reference lime
7.40 —-—— Dolomitic limestone meal
----- — Calcium silicate slag
,/ ———————————————————
/

7.0.. ./

6.61

pH 6.2-

5.8‘

 

 

 

5.0 3 3 . £
0 3 6 9 12

Months After Lime Application

Figure 3. The effect of four liming materials, applied in amounts
equal to the lime requirement, on the rate of change of
soil reaction in a Kalkaska sand soil.

 

 

 

37

TABLE VI

THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND FINENESS OF
DOLOMITIC LIMESTONE ON THE CONTENT OF EXCHANGE-
ABLE BASES AND THE PERCENT BASE SATURATION OF
A. WARSAW LOAM SOIL

 

 

Total Exchange-

 

 

Rate Cgion able Basesa
(tOns Fine-
change
per ness Ca- Months After
acre) . a Lime Application
paClty b
0 5 7
2 Fine 15.21C 10.31 12.75 10.76
Coarse 14.50 9.02 10.60 10.17
4 Fine 14.67 9.76 11.97 11.11
Coarse 16.73 10.25 12.15 10.36
6 Fine 15.21 9.62 13.87 10.77
Coarse 15.59 9.98 12.25 10.53
8 Fine 14.87 9.06 13.46 10.23
Coarse 15.68 10.30 12.63 11.10
10 Fine 14.54 9.33 13.32 11.27
Coarse 15.37 9.82 12.82 10.37
None 15.53 9.61 10.86 10.13

 

d
Correlation coefficients for total changes in hydrogen-ion concen-
tration vs. changes in the content of exchangeable bases and percent

j

a Milliequivalents per 100 grams soil.

b
Prior to lime application.

c All values represent the average of four replications.

 

 

38

TABLE VI (Continued)

 

 

m4r—43—4—Jfiemm—I r m fififu .,
Total Exchange-
able Basesa

Months After Months After
Lime Application Lime Application

 

Pe rc ent Base
Saturation

 

 

9 12 0b 5 7 9 12
12.41 11.57 67.7 83.8 70.7 81.6 76.1
11.10 11.12 62.2 73.1 70.1 76.6 76.7
12.30 11.98 66.5 81.6 76.7 83.8 81.7
13.07 12.25 61.3 72.6 61.9 78.1 77.2
13.73 12.61 63.2 91.2 70.8 90.3 82.9
12.97 12.12 64.0 78.6 67.5 83.2 77.7
13.45 12.87 60.9 90.5 68.8 90.5 86.6
13.39 12.22 66.3 80.5 70.8 85.4 77.9
12.97 13.58 64.2 91.6 77.5 89.2 93.4
11.91 12.73 63.9 83.4 67.5 77.5 82.8
11.22 11.35 61.9 70.0 65.2 72.3 73.1

base saturation equal +0.325* and +0.329,* respectively.

 

#—

._L__

Based on the difference between initial and final samplings.

* Significant at the 5 percent level.

39
approximate that of the change in pH, reaching a high in the fifth
month and then declining slightly, or remaining about the same, until
the. October, 1954, sampling, twelve months after lime application.
Here, too, it can be seen that the finer material exerted its maxi-
mum influence sooner than did the coarse lime, and at the end of
one year this difference was relatively small. When the total de-
crease in hydrOgen—ion concentration from the initial to the final
samplings was correlated with changes in the content of exchangeable
bases and the percent base saturation over the same period of time,
values of 0.325 and +0.329, respectively, were obtained. These values
were significant at the 5 percent level, indicating a general but im-
perfect relationship between these properties. Shimp (62), in his
studies on a number of Michigan soils, found similar results.

Table VII contains similar data for experiments conducted on
the Hillsdale sandy loam soil. However, in this instance, the correla-
tion between changes in the hydrogen-ion concentration and changes
in the content of exchangeable bases and the percent base saturation
was more perfect, in that the correlation coefficients were significant
at the 1 percent level. Also, a moderate degree of correlation existed
between the initial percent base saturation and the lime requirement.

These data, like those for pH, show the lack of appreciable

differences between any of the materials used or rates of application.

 

 

40

TABLE VII

THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND TYPE OF LIME
ON THE CONTENT OF EXCHANGEABLE BASES AND THE
PERCENT BASE SATURATION OF A. HILLSDALE
SANDY LOAM SOIL

 

 

 

Rate Cation
(lbs pH to Ex-
Type of Lime r. be At— change
' pe tained Ca-
acre) , a
paelty
Calcitic limestone meal .......... 3,300 6.0 4.90c
6,200 6.5 4.75
8,000 7.0 4.32
9,300 7.5 4.87
Pulverized dolomitic limestone ..... 3,700 6.0 4.89
6,200 6.5 5.11
8,500 7.0 5.05
8,700 7.5 4.76
, (1
Reference llme ............... 5,700 6.5 4.85
8,500 7.0 4.69
No lime ..................... 4.76

 

Correlation coefficients for total changese in hydrogen-ion concen-
tration vs. changes in the content of total exchangeable bases and
the percent base saturation equal +0.648** and +0.669,** respectively.

 

a Milliequivalents per 100 grams soil.

Prior to liming.
c

All values represent the average of four replications.

 

 

41

TABLE VII (Continued)

 

v—v——-—

 

T _A 'Yr IU— —1 _A

Total Exchange-
able Basesa

 

Percent Bas e
Saturation

 

 

Months After
Lime Application

Months After
Lime Application

 

0b 3 6 12 0b 3 6 12
2.35 3.05 3.15 3.55 48.2 62.7 64.0 72.6
2.17 3.34 3.60 3.13 45.9 71.5 75.8 65.4
2.42 3.34 3.32 3.34 56.1 78.0 77.8 78.3
2.31 3.11 3.44 3.42 47 8 64.7 68.9 70.7
2.30 3.38 3.44 3.14 47.1 64.5 70.4 69.8
2.16 3.14 3.51 3.42 42.8 62.7 69.2 68.0
2.45 3.83 4.07 3.48 48.4 75.6 80.5 76.4
2.65 3.78 4.24 3.87 55.8 78.6 88.9 80.3
2.26 3.19 3.25 3.24 46.7 65.9 67.1 66.5
2.15 3.27 3.76 3.62 46.1 70.0 79.9 77.3
2.24 2.35 2.41 2.44 47.2 49.5 50.8 51.7

 

Correlation coefficient between lime requirement and percent base
saturation prior to liming equals -0.455.**

g

___:L

Pulverized dolomitic limestone.

e Based on the difference between initial and final samplings.

=:<>i< Significant at the 1 percent level.

42
The differences at the end of one year were not as large as antici—
pated in view of the fact that the calcitic meal was not only lower
in neutralizing value than the pulverized dolomitic limestone, but also
contained only 10 percent of material which passed a lOO-mesh screen
compared to 91 percent for the latter material.

The content of exchangeable bases and the percent base satura-
tion of the Kalkaska sand soil at two intervals after liming are given
in Table VIII. It will be noted that the data for this soil are con-
siderably more variable, even prior to lime applications. However,
there was a high negative correlation between the initial percent base
saturation and the lime requirement.

With the two highest rates of application of calcium lime and
the highest rate of the pulverized dolomitic limestone, the percent
base saturation has exceeded 100 percent, indicating the presence of
free carbonates. These saturations correspond to pH values close
to, or slightly over, 7.0.

Even with relatively small applications of lime to the Kalkaska
sand soil, the increases in the content of exchangeable bases and the
percent base saturation were much larger than those obtained by the
highest amounts of lime applied to the two previously described soils.
This is not surprising in view of the low exchange capacity and buffer

capacity of this soil.

43

TABLE VIII

THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND TYPE OF LIME
ON THE CONTENT OF EXCHANGEABLE BASES AND THE
PERCENT BASE SATURATION OF A
KALKASKA SAND SOIL

 

 

Rate Cation
(lbs pH to Ex-
Type of Lime ' be At- change
per .
tamed Ca-
acre) a
pacity
Calcitic limestone meal 2,200 6.0 3.35c
3,900 6.5 3.15
5,800 7.0 3.11
5,800 7.5 3.40
Dolomitic limestone meal 2,200 6.0 2.84
3,900 6.5 3.16
5,100 7.0 3.39
5,800 7.5 3.00
d
Reference lime 4,400 6.5 2.93
4,400 7.0 3.30
Calcium silicate slag 5,400 7.0 3.07
No lime 3.33 i

 

Correlation coefficients for total changes8 in hydrogen-ion concen-
tration vs. changes in the content of total exchangeable bases and
the percent base saturation equal +0.354* and +0.267, respectively.

 

a. Milliequivalents per 100 grams soil.

Prior to lime application.

c .
All values represent the average of four replications.

   

44

TABLE VIII (Continued)

 

x r _ n. » —r «r j

 

 

 

Total Exchange- Percent Base
able Basesa' Saturation
Months After Months After
Lime Application Lime Application
0‘0 6 12 0b 6 12
0.75 1.95 1.77 22.4 58.2 52.8
1.15 2.66 2.63 37.0 85.5 83.5
1.45 3.26 3.16 46.6 104.8 101.6
2.42 4.03 4.00 71.2 118.5 117.6
0.46 1.74 1.45 16.2 61.3 51.1
1.41 2.36 2.53 44.6 74.7 80.1
2.00 2.82 2.89 59.3 83.7 85.3
2.05 2.91 2.94 68.3 97.0 98.0
0.66 2.58 2.37 22.5 88.1 80.9
2.45 3.46 3.43 74.2 104.8 103.9
1.26 ' 2.31 2.14 71.0 75.2 69.7
1 .79 2.40 2.28 53.8 72.1 68.5

Correlation coefficient between lime requirement and percent base

Saturation prior to liming equals -0.931.**

\
¥ 1'

Pulverized dolomitic limestone.
e Based on the difference between initial and final samplings.

* Significant at the 5 percent level; ** significant at the 1

Percent level.

45

A comparison between the pH values resulting from the various
treatments and the content of exchangeable bases and the percent base
saturation would indicate a close relationship between these pr0perties.
However, due to the wide variations between replicates, the correla-
tion between changes in the hydrogen-ion concentration and changes in
the above two properties one year after liming was less perfect than
for the Warsaw and Hillsdale soils. Bray and DeTurk (13) found poor
correlation between pH values and degree of base saturation in soils
less than 60 percent saturated.

Bear and Toth (9), as well as the above investigators, have
Suggested that 80 percent base saturation is ideal for most soils. It
is impractical, because of losses by leaching, to maintain higher pH
levels. In the Warsaw and Hillsdale soils this would mean a pH of
approximately 6.0 to 6.3, while with the Kalkaska soil the pH should
be about 6.3 to 6.5 to give this degree of saturation. The rate of

application of lime to attain this level would depend on the type and

fineness of the lime and the base saturation prior to the addition of

lime.

Availability of phosphorus and potassium. The effect of lime
0n the availability of phosphorus and potassium in the Warsaw, Hills—

dale, and Kalkaska soils is given in Tables IX, X, and XI, respectively.

46
TABLE 1x

THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND FINENESS OF 1
DOLOMITIC LIMESTONE ON THE AVAILABILITY OF ‘
PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM IN A i

WARSAW LOAM SOIL

 

 

 

Rate Bray's Adsorbed Phosphorus":1
(tons , *
Fineness .

per Months After Lime Application

acre) 0b 5 7 9 12

2 Fine ............. 15.8C 22.5 19.3 27.1 26.4
Coarse ........... 18.9 25.5 24.7 28.8 27.7 F

4 Fine ............. 15.0 27.7 19.8 21.9 27.9
Coarse ........... 15.5 29.3 23.8 28.6 24.9 )
6 Fine ............. 17.9 23.3 23.2 28.1 25.7 i

Coarse ........... 15.1 25.1 30.7 31.2 27.8

8 Fine ............. 16.2 25.1 21.4 27.5 20.3
Coarse ........... 29.7 32.9 25.1 21.4 23.2 A

10 Fine ............. 18.7 24.0 24.9 26.3 25.9
Coarse ........... 17.2 26.1 27.9 22.2 22.2 ‘
None ................... 17.1 30.1 32.1 34.0 27.4 I

 

Correlation coefficients for totalg changes in hydrogen-ion concen-
tration vs. changes in the availability of phosphorus (as measured

 

‘1 Phosphorus extracted by 0.025 N HCl and 0.03 N NH4F.

Prior to lime application.

c . .
All values represent the average of four replications, ex-
pressed in pounds per acre. ‘

d Phosphorus and potassium extracted by 0.13 N HCl. ,

 

   

47

TABLE 1X (Continued)

 

.1. at .A n E _I m x I .

 

 

 

Spurway's Reserve Phosphorusd Spurway's Reserve Potassiumd
Néonths After Lime Application Months After Lime Application
0 5 7 9 12 0e 5 7 9 12
4.3f 6.9 7.8 15.1 16.5 62 115 90 100 118
3.8 8.0 9.4 14.4 14.8 74 131 90 124 113
3.5 10.1 9.3 13.4 18.9 37 121 89 88 108
3.5 7.9 11.0 14.9 13.6 80 120 80 125 133

3.8 7.9 8.4 14.9 17.9 70 151 103 139 129
4.5 8.5 17.5 14.9 17.1 83 144 95 115 145

3.5 10.3 9.5 12.8 13.0 56 146 93 124 115
7.0 9.3 8.5 11.4 13.5 50 135 118 135 119

4.5 9.4 13.0 16.0 19.0 62 131 89 92 120
5.0 10.3 12.5 11.0 13.3 66 137 80 105 119
4.3 8.3 9.4 13.9 14.4 57 136 90 117 131

 

by the Bray Adsorbed and Spurway Reserve methods) and potassium
equal -0.060, -0.044, and -0.085, respectively.h

 

 

e Prior to lime application.

All values represent the average of four replications, ex-

pressed in pounds per acre.

g Based on the difference between initial and final samplings.

Not significant at the 5 percent level.

THE EFFECT OF TYPE AND RATE OF APPLICATION OF LIME
ON THE AVAILABILITY OF PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM
IN A HILLSDALE SANDY LOAM SOIL

 

 

48
TABLE X

 

 

Rate pH to Bray's Adsorbed Phosphorusa
Type of Lime (lbs. be At- .
per _ Months After Lime Application
tained b
acre) 0 3 7 12
Calcitic lime- 3,300 6.0 71.8C 44.0 42.2 43.9 .
t I
S °11e ”“1111 6,200 6.5 84.9 60.7 56.0 57.2 i
8,000 7.0 51.5 44.9 42.5 47.8
9,300 7.5 56.9 41.7 40.3 46.7
Pulverized 3,700 6.0 66.6 49.1 41.1 51.4
d,°1°m111° 6,200 6.5 76.5 51.9 51.4 51.5
limestone
8,500 7.0 64.5 44.9 42.5 52.0
8,700 7.5 57.8 43.1 40.1 42.0
Reference 5,700 6.5 94.2 76.1 57.2 68.3
111118 8,500 7.0 90.3 58.3 52.7 56.2
No lime 78.5 55.4 55.4 58.2

 

‘ f
Correlation coefficients for total changes in hydrogen-ion concen-
tration and changes in the availability of phosphorus (as measured

 

3‘ Phosphorus extracted by 0.025 N HCl and 0.03 N NH4F.

b
I Prior to lime application.

c
All values represent the average of four replications, ex-
pressed in pounds per acre.

Pulve rized dolomitic limestone.

   

49

TABLE X (Continued)

MA :KW'V

 

 

Spurway's Reserve Phosphoruse Spurway's Reserve Potassiume

 

'— V ii W

Months After Lime Application Months After Lime Application

 

0‘D 3 7 12 0b 3 7 12
16.8C 14.3 18.0 19.4 111 105 79 107
19.0 23.9 27.3 25.6 104 105 80 101
13.8 18.6 20.0 23.0 103 113 82 106
12.8 14.8 17.6 23.0 107 100 86 111
13.1 15.4 16.1 24.1 83 99 69 116
18.8 16.6 20.6 19.6 90 86 91 121
17.5 15.9 15.9 25.1 121 106 88 134
17.8 16.5 18.8 19.8 103 128 89 122
19.5 21.5 22.6 23.4 97 91 86 115
17.3 18.3 21.4 27.5 92 102 82 117
16.8 19.6 19.6 21.9 102 101 90 113

by the Bray Adsorbed and Spurway Reserve methods) and potassium
equal +0.071, -0.080, and +0245, respectively.g

——A~—— : I J A

e Phosphorus and potassium extracted by 0.13 N HCl.
Based on the difference between initial and final samplings.

g Not significant at the 5 percent level.

 

v"
k.‘

.W;

0

" .'J
1‘ n“ '-

8, v
.- " ‘44:.

8.13..

- .-."- ‘3! '

.‘,
. ‘k
- as 4219

ha! '

'9'. "o.
N

‘r rr_

1 .

 

"*“E'af f.’

V

_f.'

_ u
:- ‘I:..

I r" . -
l .I _ h

1'
”1;

fl .

 

50

TABLE X1

THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND TYPE OF LIME
ON THE AVAILABILITY OF PHOSPHORUS AND
POTASSIUM IN A KALKASKA SAND SOIL

 

 

 

Rate Bray's Adsorbed Phosphorusa
(lbs pH to
Type of Lime ' be At- , , ,
per Months After Lime Application
tained b
acre) 0 6 12
Calcitic lime- 2,200 6.0 60.1C 46.4 46.9
t l
S °ne 111“ 3,900 6.5 49.1 46.3 43.2
5,800 7.0 58.5 40.8 49.4
5,800 7.5 42.7 48.6 41.1
Dolomitic 2,200 6.0 44.2 53.6 49.9
' t
11111“ °ne 3,900 6.5 72.9 52.9 47.4
meal
5,100 7.0 54.3 51.5 42.4
5,800 7.5 54.0 45.5 42.4
Reference 4,400 6.5 67.9 51.1 50.9
1111111 4,400 7.0 55.9 49.0 48.1
Calcium 5111- 5,400 7.0 51.5 53.0 47.5
cate slag ~
No lime 58.3 53.0 47.5

Correlation coefficients for total changesf in hydrogen-ion concen-
tration vs. changes in the availability of phosphorus (as measured

 

‘1 Phosphorus extracted by 0.025 N HCl and 0.03 N NH4F.

Prior to lime application.

c . .
All values represent the average of four replications, ex-

pressed in pounds per acre.

d Pulverized dolomitic limestone.

 

 

 

51

TABLE XI (Continued)

 

T .- [ _er ‘I‘! ml-zw: 11 71.1: I‘V— I x)"
L

 

 

 

Spurway's ReservePhosphoruse Spurway's Reserve Potassiume
Months After Lime Application Months After. Lime Application
0‘0 6 12 0b 6 12
26.3C 25.5 31.8 115 114 102
27.8 35.5 28.4 117 130 107
25.4 36.4 34.0 134 134 115
33.0 44.0 40.4 141 131 121
15.1 28.6 29.6 120 116 101
27.8 30.9 30.6 133 127 125
34.3 38.3 35.0 152 133 107
28.6 34.1 39.0 123 132 128
25.0 37.3 33.0 95 119 109
31.5 44.3 43.5 119 147 124
38.5 43.0 27.8 119 143 122
38.3 33.8 34.6 128 105 119

 

by the Bray Adsorbed and the Spurway Reserve methods) and po-
tassium equal +0.146, -0.128, and +0.113, respectively.g

 

V’ 3' 'r... A

e Phosphorus and potassium extracted by 0.13 N HCl.

Based on the difference between the initial and final sam-

plings .

g Not significant at the 5 percent level.

 

Eat-s _.;-..

 

52
Phosphorus was measured by both the Bray Adsorbed (14) and the
Spurway Reserve (63) methods. Potassium was determined by the
Spurway Reserve method.

In the Warsaw loam soil, both the phosphorus content, as
measured by the two methods, and the potassium content, increased
throughout the year. However, the differences in values for "avail-
able" phosphorus and potassium between lime treatments varied
widely from sampling to sampling. When changes in the hydrogen-
ion concentration were correlated with changes in the availability of
these two elements over the period of study, no appreciable degree
of correlation was found.

The same variability with sampling period existed in the Hills-
dale plots. The phosphorus content, as measured by the Bray method,
decreased slightly during the one—year interval after liming, while
the Spurway method showed a slight increase in the level of available
phosphorus. However, changes in the availability of phosphorus gave
negligible correlation with increasing pH as a result of lime applica-
tions. The potassium content increased somewhat during the period
of study. Although there was a tendency for the level of available
potassium to increase with decreasing hydrogen—ion concentration, the
correlation coefficient for changes in these two pr0perties from the

initial to final samplings was not significant.

53

Similar results were obtained in the experiment with Kalkaska
sand. Variations between samplings and the lack of any consistent
trends between treatments in the same sampling masked the over—all
effect of lime upon the availability of phosphorus and potassium. No
significant correlation was found between changes in the level of these
two elements one year after liming and changes in the hydrogen-ion
concentration.

The lack of correlation between increasing pH and the avail-
ability of phosphorus in these three soils is contradictory to the find-
ings of other investigators (17, 66), who found that liming moderately
or strongly acid soils to a point where the pH was about 6.5 increased
the availability of phosphorus. It is possible, however, that this is
a temporary condition resulting from the recent addition of relatively
large amounts of lime to these three $0115. This condition may grad-
ually be overcome and the lime 'will slowly increase the availability
of phosphorus. Scarseth and Tidmore (59) found that when free cal-
cium carbonate was no longer present in the soil, lime increased
the availability of phosphorus. They thought that calcium ions result-
ing from hydrolysis of calcium carbonate and calcium bicarbonate in
the soil solution combined with the soluble phosphorus to form rela-

tively insoluble tricalcium phOSphates. As previously suggested, the

 

 

 

 

54
variation in the data from sampling to sampling may have masked

any real differences which were present.

Crop yields. Winter wheat was grown on the Warsaw loam

 

soil in 1954 and 1955. No yields were obtained in 1954, the first
cr0p season following liming. The 1955 yields, contained in Table
XII, show no significant differences due to lime application.

Table XIII gives the .1954 yields of corn and the 1955 yields
of oats grown on the Hillsdale sandy loam plots. No significant
differences in yield occurred in either year, although there was a
slight trend toward higher corn yields from the dolomitic limestone
plots during the first year following lime application.

The effect of lime on the yield of sweet clover grown on the
Kalkaska sand is given in Table XIV. Sweet clover was planted in
early September of 1954, about ten weeks after the final application
of lime. Hay yields were obtained in June of 1955.

Pulverized dolomitic limestone and calcium meal at the high-
est rates of application resulted in significantly higher yields of clover
than did the two lowest rates of calcium meal and the lowest rate
of dolomitic meal. The check plots and those treated with calcium
and dolomitic meal applied at the pH 7.0 level, dolomitic meal at

the pH 7.5 rate and the calcium silicate slag yielded more than

55
TABLE XII
THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND FINENESS OF

DOLOMITIC LIMESTONE ON THE YIELD OF WINTER
WHEAT GROWN ON A WARSAW LOAM SOIL

 

1 I __.4 v T

 

 

 

Rate V Fineness Yielda
(tons /ac re) (bu. /ac re)
2 Fine 23.3b
Coarse 22.2
4 Fine 23.8
Coarse 24.1
6 Fine 24.9
Coarse 26.2
8 Fine 21.8
Coarse 24.1
10 Fine 22.3
Coarse 22.8
None 21.2
L.S.D. (05) N.S

 

 

a Second crop year after lime application.

All values represent the average of four replications.

TABLE X111

56

THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND TYPE OF LIME

ON THE YIELD OF CORN AND OATS GROWN ON A
HILLSDALE SANDY LOAM SOIL

 

 

 

 

L I} r -
R t 1
a e pH to 954 1955
, (lbs. Corn Oats
Type of Lime be At- (b / b /
per tained u. ( u.
acre) acre) acre)
Calcitic limestone meal 3,300 6.0 85.0£1 44.7
6,200 6.5 88.8 43.5
8,000 7.0 88.5 34.3
9,300 7.5 87.0 41.9
Pulverized dolomitic lime- 3,700 6.0 96.3 45.1
51°“ 6,200 6.5 94.8 43.3
8,500 7.0 94.8 46.9
8,700 7.5 94.8 38.4
Reference lime 5,700 6.5 87.5 48.0
8,700 7.0 95.8 39.0
No lime 5.6 86.0 37.8
L.S.D. (05) N.S N.S

 

a
All values represent the average of

Pulve rized dolomitic lime stone.

C pH at the end of one year.

four replications.

57
TABLE XIV
THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION AND TYPE OF LIME

ON THE YIELD OF SWEET CLOVER GROWN ON
A KALKASKA SAND SOIL

 

 

 

 

 

 

L r rah—if: srfi—fWr :1 zr J4 1— pr -- -
a
R t '
.. .. ”if”
Type of Lime ' be At- °115
per tained per
acre) acre)
Calcitic limestone meal ............ 2,200 6.0 0.5613
3,900 6.5 0.60
5,800 7.0 0.91
5,800 7.5 1.00
Dolomitic limestone meal .......... 2,200 6.0 0.40
3,900 6.5 0.74
5,100 7.0 0.91
5,800 7.5 0.82
Reference limec ................. 4,400 6.5 0.69
4,400 7.0 1.05
Calcium silicate slag ............. 5,400 7.0 0.88
, d
No lime ....................... 6.0 0.82
L.S.D. (05) 0.37
(01) 0.49

a
Air-dry weight.
All values represent the average of four replications.
Pulverized dolomitic limestone.

pH at the end of one year.

58
did the plots which received the low rate of application of dolomitic
meal. The relatively high yield of hay from the unlimed plots was
probably due to a slightly better stand of sweet clover and to the
higher degree of base saturation initially compared to those plots
receiving the lower rates of application. The mean yield of the
calcium meal plots was not significantly higher than the mean yield
of the dolomitic meal plots. However, the mean yield caused by the
two pulverized dolomitic limestone treatments was significantly higher
than that obtained where the pH was brought to similar levels by cal—-

cium and dolomitic meals.

G re enhous e Studie 3

Soil reaction. These data are presented in Table XV. Lime,

 

sufficient to satisfy the lime requirement as determined by the Brad-
field-Allison method (12), was mixed with the entire volume of soil
just prior to planting alfalfa. Soil samples were obtained at two-,
four-, and six-month intervals after liming.

With the exception of the Warsaw loam soil, calcium carbonate
had increased the pH above 7.0 at the end of two months' time. The
pulverized dolomitic limestone was somewhat slower in increasing
the pH, probably due to lower solubility and a smaller percentage

of fine material. The calcium silicate slag was the slowest of the

59
TABLE XV

THE EFFECT OF THREE LIMING MATERIALS ON THE RATE OF
CHANGE OF SOIL REACTION IN FIVE GREENHOUSE SOILS

 

I 1 ' '1 x - w —1

 

 

Months PH
S . .
011 Type ftellcitlir:: No Calcium Pulverized Calcium
pp Lime Carbonate Dolomite Silicate Slag

a ,b

Brookston 0 5.95 5.95 5.95 5.95
2 5.95 7.46 6.82 6.56
4 6.19 7.66 '7.03 6.78
6 6.10 7.55 7.06 6.70

Warsaw 0 5.45 5.45 5.45 5.45
2 5.25 6.83 6.58 5.59
4 5.63 7.07 7.06 6.09
6 5.55 7.12 6.96 6.00

Hillsdale 0 5.20 5.20 5.20 5.20
2 4.86 7.23 6.59 5.46
4 5.05 7.14 6.81 5.70
6 5.29 7.45 7.00 6.80

Fox 0 6.20 6.20 6.20 6.20
2 5.89 7.43 6.79 6.10
4 6.20 7.52 7.12 6.62
6 6.12 7.48 7.10 6.50

Kalkaska 0 5.25 5.25 5.25 5.25
2 5.23 7.69 6.96 5.66
4 5.59 7.86 7.52 6.19
6 5.42 7.69 7.18 6.01

a. Prior to lime application.

All values represent the average hydrogen-ion concentration
of three replications.

60
materials used in raising soil reaction. With the exception of the
soil to which the slag lime was added, pH 7.0 had been exceeded on
all soils at the end of six months' time.

Table XVI contains the yield data for alfalfa grown on the five
soils treated with three liming materials. No significant increases in
yield were obtained for any of the lime applications to Brookston clay
loam or Fox sandy loam. These two soils had an initial pH of six
or above. Only on the Kalkaska soil did lime bring about a signifi-
cant difference between yields for all three cuttings. In the first
cutting the pulverized dolomitic lime and the calcium silicate slag
produced. significantly higher yields than did the check. This was
also the case with the second cutting. The data of the third cutting
show that all three liming materials increased the yield over that
obtained without lime. However, the total yields show that only where
the dolomitic and slag materials were used were the differences sig-
nificant. The beneficial results obtained from the use of calcium sili-
cate slag are interesting in view of the slow increase in pH which
resulted from the use of this lime compared to the other two ma-
terials.

The only instance in which a significant increase in yield of
alfalfa was obtained as a result of lime additions to the Warsaw loam

soil was at the second cutting. Here the calcium carbonate produced

TABLE XVI

THE EFFECT OF THREE LIMING MATERIALS ON THE YIELD
OF ALFALFA GROWN ON FIVE SOILS IN THE GREENHOUSE

61

 

#4

I

ij

Yield of Alfalfa (grams per pot)

 

vv

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soil Type Cut- Cal- Pul— Cal- L.S.D.
ting No cium verized cium (05)
Lime Car— Dolo- Silicate
bonate mite Slag
Brookston.. 1 7.191 7.59 6.68 7.64 N.S.
2 7.37 7.67 8.41 7.96 N.S.
3 6.96 7.88 9.01 8.05 N.S.
Total 21.52 23.14 24.10 23.65 N.S.
22:: ===== =22: :2:
Warsaw . . . 1 5.23 5.40 5.33 5.22 N.S.
2 4.06 6.09 4.86 4.25 1.04
3 7.16 8.24 7.50 8.08 N.S.
Total 16.45 19.73 17.69 17.55 N.S.
:22: ._..—_":"—..._. 23:32: 3::
Hillsdale l 4.80 6.03 6.22 6.15 N.S.
2 5.90 7.62 8.34 7.10 1.38
3 8.91 11.09 10.20 9.25 N.S.
Total 19.61 24.74 24.76 22.50 3.08
:2: 3:: ====== :22:
Fox ...... 1 3.68 4.12 4.22 4.36 N.S.
2 4.23 5.65 4.90 4.70 N.S.
3 6.68 8.10 8.42 8.25 N.S.
Total 14.59 17.87 17.54 11.31 N.S.
Kalkaska l 1.52 1.97 3.15 2.85 1.13
2 2.05 3.23 4.36 3.70 1.45
3 3.40 4.98 5.81 5.41 1.41
Total 6.97 10.18 13.32 11.96 3.53
22:22: m: =2:

 

1

 

All values represent the average of three replications.

62
a significantly higher yield than did all other treatments at the 5
percent level.

Data from the second cutting of alfalfa from the Hillsdale
soil showed that the calcium carbonate and the pulverized dolomitic
limestone gave significantly higher yields than the no-lime treatment.
This was also true for the total yields.

The growth of alfalfa on four of the five soils used in this
phase of the study is further illustrated by Plates 1, 2, 3, and 4.

It is evident that the Kalkaska soil has given the greatest response

to liming.

Phosphorus content and uptake of phosphorus by alfalfa. As
indicated in Table XVII, liming tended to increase the phosphorus
content of alfalfa, especially that grown on the soils of finer texture.
Little difference occurred between the phosphorus content of the al-
falfa grown on the calcium carbonate and pulverized dolomite treated
soils, except in the case of the Warsaw loam where the phosphorus
content was slightly higher where the pulverized dolomitic lime was
applied. The phosphorus content of the alfalfa on the Hillsdale, Fox,
and Kalkaska soils treated with calcium silicate slag was somewhat

lower than that grown on these same soils treated with the other two

materials.

63

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64

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65

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66

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67
TABLE XVII
THE EFFECT OF THREE LIMING MATERIALS ON THE PHOS—

PHORUS CONTENT AND UPTAKE OF PHOSPHORUS BY
ALFALFA GROWN ON FIVE GREENHOUSE SOILS

 

 

 

 

No Lime
Cut-
5 '1 T
01 ype ting P a P b

Content Uptake
Brookston .................. 1 2.565C 18.44
2 2.815 20.75
3 2.440 16.98
Avg 2.607 18.72
Warsaw .................... 1 2.465 12.89
2 2.255 9.16
3 2.030 14.54
Avg. 2.250 12.19
Hillsdale ................... 1 2.290 10.99
2 1.755 10.36
3 1.940 17.29
Avg. 1.995 12.88
Fox ....................... 1 2.370 8.72
2 2.390 10.11
3 2.390 15.97
Avg. 2.383 11.60
Kalkaska ................... 1 2.230 3.39
11.965 4.03
3 1.665 5.66
Avg. 1.953 4.36

 

r L m4 1'— L t _‘_._4 ILAIL.__ j;

 

a Milligrams per gram.

b Based upon the yield per pot of oven—dry alfalfa.

68

TABLE XVII (Continued)

 

*- _L _1 fir

Calcium Carbonate Pulverized Dolomite Calcium Silicate Slag

 

 

 

 

P P P P P P
Content Uptake Content Uptake Content Uptake
2.815 21.37 2.540 16.97 2.780 21.24
2.790 21.40 2.815 23.67 2.690 21.41
2.280 17.97 2.280 20.54 2.230 17.95
2.628 20.24 2.545 20.40 2.567 20.20
2.605 14.07 2.615 13.94 2.505 13.08
2.140 13.03 2.465 11.98 2.280 9.69
1.915 15.78 2.140 16.05 2.190 17.70
2.220 14.29 2.407 13.99 2.325 13.49
2.755 16.61 2.020 12.56 2.655 16.33
2.380 18.14 2.840 23.69 1.990 14.13
2.780 30.83 2.865 29.22 2.290 21.18
2.638 21.86 2.575 21.82 2.312 17.21
2.770 11.41 2.590 16.11 2.555 11.14
2.465 13.93 2.520 12.35 2.265 10.65
2.390 19.36 2.520 21.22 2.290 18.89
2.542 14.90 2.543 16.56 2.370 13.56
2.165 4.27 2.255 7.10 2.180 6.21
1.855 5.99 ‘ 1.830 7.98 1.540 5.70
2.465 12.28 2.370 13.77 2.005 10.85
2.162 5.64 2.152 7.21 1.908 5.69

 

L

c
All values represent duplicate determination on bulked
replicates.

69

Lime considerably increased the total uptake of phosphorus
by the alfalfa. The largest plant uptake of phosphorus on all soils
was obtained using calcium carbonate and dolomitic limestone, with
the exception of the Kalkaska sand. In this case, due to lower yields,
the uptake of phosphorus by alfalfa from the calcium carbonate—treated
soil was slightly less. The absorption from the calcium silicate slag-
treated soils ranged from approximately the same as the other lime
treatments to considerably less, depending on the soil type and the
yield of alfalfa.

These results are in agreement with those found by MacLean
(37) and others (2, 10). All of these investigators noted that increas-
ing the pH of acid soils by the addition of lime increased the uptake

of phosphorus by legumes.

Availability of phosphorus and potassium in the soil. As shown

 

in Table XVIII, liming the Brookston and Kalkaska soils caused no
significant change in the availability of phosphorus. At the 5 percent
level of significance, the level of phosphorus, as measured by the Bray
method, was lowered as a result of all lime additions to the Warsaw
loam soil. At the 1 percent level, all treatments except the slag
produced significantly lower amounts of available phosphorus. By

the Spurway method, the dolomitic limestone and the slag treatments

reduced phosphorus levels below those on the unlimed soil.

 

_ 4.33—— V‘

70

THE EFFECT OF THREE LIMING MATERIALS ON THE AVAIL-
ABILITY OF PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM

TABLE XVIII

IN FIVE GREENHOUSE SOILS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prior to
Treat- No Lime
S '1 T T t
01 ype es ment (lbs./A.)
(lbs./A.)
Brookston ....... Bray's Pa 11.3 36.6
b
Spurway's P 47.5 73.
b
Spurway's K 135.0 109.
Warsaw ......... Bray's P 25.9 51.
Spurway's P 13.0 24.
Spurway's K 150.0 142.
Hillsdale ........ Bray's P 45.8 94.
Spurway's P 23.0 39.
Spurway's K 144.0 105.
Fox ............ Bray's P 21.7 50.
Spurway's P 19.0 33.
Spurway's K 138.0 85.
Kalkaska ........ Bray's P 39.6 80.
Spurway's P 25.0 34.
Spurway's K 150.0 109.
- m: w J— - WA — A
3‘ Bray's adsorbed phosphorus using 0.025 N HCl and 0.03 N
NH F as the extracting solution.

4

Spurway's reserve test using 0.13 N HCl as the extracting

solution.

71

TABLE XVIII (Continued)

 

 

Calcium Pulver- Calcium

 

 

Carbon- ized Dol- Silicate L'S'D'
ate omite Slag
(1bs./A.) (lbs./A.) (lbs./A.) (05’ (01)
34.5 33.4 36.6 N.S.
73.0 79.0 76.0 N.S.
101.0 104.0 108.0 N.S.
37.1 38.5 41.8 6.32 10.16
22.7 21.3 19.7 2.05 3.30
128.0 140.0 130.0 N.S.
77.0 73.7 76.3 15.02
48.7 41.5 37.7 6.45
88.0 86.0 85.0 N.S.
49.7 47.1 53.0 N.S.
41.7 35.7 31.0 ‘ 4.15 6.67
86.0 83.0 84.0 N.S.
59.7 62.5 70.0 N.S.
43.3 35.0 41.7 N.S.
117.0 95.0 109.0 N.S.

 

C All values represent the average of three replications.

72

All lime applications significantly depressed the level of phos-
phorus in the Hillsdale sandy loam soil, as measured by the Bray
method. By the Spurway method, the use of calcium carbonate re-
sulted in a significant increase in phosPhorus availability. This was
also the case with the Fox soil using the same method for determin-
ing phosphorus.

None of the lime treatments produced any significant change
in the availability of potassium in the five soils studied.

The trend toward a lower level of available phosphorus in
some of these soils may be due to several factors. First, the pres-
ence of free carbonates in the soil has been suggested as an explana—
tion for decreasing availability of phosphorus after liming (59). Sec-
ondly, the additional growth of alfalfa and subsequent uptake of phos-
phorus as a result of liming would tend to decrease the level of
available phosphorus in the soil. Thirdly, the fact that the soil
reaction actually exceeded the neutral point on most of the soils
several months after applying lime would tend to decrease the amount
of available phosphorus present. A pH of 6.5 has been found to give
the maximum availability of phosphorus on the majority of soils (66).

Other investigators (21, 24) have noted that lime applied in

moderate amounts to soil has little effect on the availability of

73
potassium, which is in agreement with the results of these studies,

both in the greenhouse and in the field.

SU MMAR Y

Liming studies were conducted on three field soils and five
greenhouse soils to determine the rate of change of soil reaction and
changes in the content of exchangeable bases and percent base satura-
tion resulting from the application of liming materials varying in
source, grade, neutralizing value, and degree of fineness. Phosphorus
and potassium determinations were made to determine availability
changes brought about by liming.

On one of the soils, Warsaw loam, two dolomitic limestones
varying only in their degree of fineness were applied at rates ranging
from two to ten tons per acre. On the Hillsdale sandy loam soil,
two pulverized dolomitic limestones were compared with a calcitic
limestone meal, while on the Kalkaska sand, calcitic and dolomitic
meals, pulverized dolomite, and water—quenched calcium silicate slag
were compared. On these latter two soils, lime was applied in vary-
ing amounts calculated to give a desired pH level, based upon the
lime requirement as determined by the Bradfield-Allison method (12).

Determinations for pH, exchangeable bases, percent base sat-

uration, phosphorus by the Bray Adsorbed (l4) and Spurway Reserve

74

75
(63) methods and potassium were made on soil samples taken at in-
tervals following lime additions. CrOp yields were also obtained.

In the greenhouse, equivalent amounts of three liming ma-
terials were applied to five soils; namely, Brookston clay loam,
Warsaw loam, Hillsdale sandy loam, Fox sandy loam, and Kalkaska
sand. The three materials, precipitated calcium carbonate, pulver-
ized dolomitic limestone, and calcium silicate slag, were applied in
amounts equal to the Bradfield-Allison lime requirement. Three
cuttings of alfalfa were obtained from each pot culture for the de-
termination of yield and phOSphorus content. Soil samples were
taken at two—month intervals after liming to determine changes in
pH. Phosphorus and potassium determinations were made on the
soil samples prior to the addition of lime and at the end of six
months.

The results of these investigations may be summarized as
follows:

1. Applying lime as a fractional part of the total lime re-
quirement was not an accurate method of reaching a desired pH
level.

2. A moderate to high degree of correlation existed between

the lime requirement, hydrogen-ion concentration, and percent base

76
saturation prior to liming. This correlation was highest on the
poorly buffered Kalkaska sand soil.

3. In the field, lime applications did not raise the pH the
anticipated amount, while in the greenhouse, applications of lime
equal to the lime requirement exceeded the theoretical values. This
indicates that the use of an appropriate liming factor is necessary
under field conditions in order to attain expected values.

4. Calcitic limestone meal increased the pH slightly more
rapidly than did the corresponding dolomitic limestone meal. How-
ever, pulverized dolomitic limestone reacted more quickly with the
soil than did either of the meals. The calcium silicate slag was
somewhat slower in raising the pH than were the other materials
studied.

5. One year after liming the differences in pH resulting from
comparable rates of application of the various materials were very
slight.

6. A. moderate degree of correlation existed between decreas—
ing hydrogen-ion concentration after liming and increasing content of
exchangeable bases and percent base saturation for any particular
soil. However, comparing all soils, wide variations occurred.

7. The amount of lime necessary to attain a desired pH,

and the length of time required to reach this pH, was roughly

77
pr0portional to the exchange capacity and the original degree of acid-
ity. ‘ The lower the exchange capacity and the greater the degree of
acidity prior to liming, the faster the response to any given type of
lime.

8. No significant Correlation existedbetween changes in
the availability of phosphorus and potassium and changes in the
hydrogen-ion concentration under field conditions. There was a
trend toward a decreased supply of available phosphorus after lim-
ing the greenhouse soils.

9. The highest rates of application, especially of pulverized
dolomitic limestone, significantly increased the yield of sweet clover
on the Kalkaska sand, but liming had no appreciable effect on the
yield of wheat, corn, and oats grown on the Warsaw and Hillsdale
soils. In the greenhouse, the total yield of alfalfa was significantly
increased on the Hillsdale sandy loam by additions of calcium car-
bonate and pulverized dolomitic limestone, and on the Kalkaska sand
by additions of dolomitic lime and calcium silicate slag. These were
the two soils which had the lowest initial pH.

10. Lime tended to increase the phosphorus content and total
uptake of phosphorus by alfalfa in the greenhouse. This trend was
-greatest where the calcium carbonate and pulverized dolomitic lime-

stone were used.

78
11. The extreme variability to be expected from lime addi-
tions to any one soil type was indicated by the wide differences which

were present between replications and between samplings.

10.

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