Extension Circular CC124  This circular is about how to use top quality lime on your farm.  It includes information on purity, fineness, moisture, testing, rats of application, recommendations, and materials needed

Ringler, W. E.

English

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln
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Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-
Lincoln Extension Extension
6-1955
CC124 Use Top Quality Lime on your Farm
W. E. Ringler
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for
inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of
Nebraska - Lincoln.
Ringler, W. E., "CC124 Use Top Quality Lime on your Farm" (1955). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
3063.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/3063
f lqfl) ONIV. OF NEBRASK.4 
~~USE TOP QUALITY LTME 
Thraug)l SO mesh 
(like nour) 
~effective 
hO% efi'ective 
Held on 8 mesh 
(like gravel) 
Less than 
J.O% effective 
ON 
11. E. Ringler, Ass• t. Extension 
J\Ule 1955 
M 
c.c. 12'4 
The value of a liming material for correcting soil acidity 
depends on three !'actors: purity, rineness, and moisture 
content. These three factors must be considered 1n determin-
ing how much lime should be applied per acre. 
Purity 
Purity refers to the neutralizing power of the liming mater-
ial, It is expressed as "per cent calcium carbonate equiva-
lent" . Pure limeatone would teat 100%. Some of the dolo-
llli tic limestone or hydrated lime may test over 100%. The 
lower the purity the more lime it takes to neutralize the 
acidity. 
Fineness 
Fineness refers to the particle size of the liming material. 
Many ground limestones conta:ln particles frOill dust to the 
size of coarse gravel. When the limestone is applied to the 
soil, the .fine particles dissolve readily and combine with 
the soil acids to neutral~e them and furnish calcium to the 
plants. The coarse particles dissolve very slowly and have 
little value, 
The .fineness of ground limestone is determined by passing a 
small sample through a set of' screens or sieves. Usually 3 
sieves are used. The coarsest o.f these has 8 open:lngs per 
inch, 'While the finest sie'f'e bas so. 
Moisture 
The moisture content o! liming material 1d.ll. vary with the 
weather. Excessive moisture in the lime does not lower its 
effectiveness but the weight of 01ater it contains has no 
value for neutralizing acid soil. As the l1me ill ground it 
is usllal.~y put in cons shaped piles for storage . In this 
way the bulk of the lime ill not af.fected by seasonal ra:lns. 
Nebraska Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, 
University of Nebraska College of Agriculture and u. s. Department of 
Agriculture Cooperating, W. V. Lambert, Director, Lincoln. 
Liming Materials "re~ted Each Month 
Lime samples are taken each month fiom the various quarries and lime dumps over the 
state. Representative samples are taken and tested by the University of Nebraska 
Soil Testing Service . The results of the tests are sent to the county extension 
agents each month. The . ~ort gives the purity, fineness, and moisture content! of 
each lime sample tested • . on the basis o£ these .factors the "per cent et':Cective~ 
ness" of each material is calcuJ.ated, 
• I 
RATE OF APPLICAT ION DEPENDS ON QUALITY 
(Per cent eUe~ti~.e ~)OF LIMING MATERIAL 
.. • • ;r ~ 
Liming Material 
% E!tectiveness 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 40 
45 
50 
55 
.. 
Ad,iuswd Rate 
4.6, 
3.0 
2.~ 
2.0 
1.7 
1.5 
l ,J 
1 .2 
l.'l 
Liming 11aterial 
% Effectiveness 
'66 
. 65 
70 
75 
so 
85 
9Q 
95 
100 
Adjusted Rate 
l,o 
.95 
. 90 
.80 
·15 
.70 
.66 
.63 
.60 
*Ask your county agent about J.ilning mate.rials sold in your area. Your county 
agent can tell you the quality (per cent effectiveness) of all Uming materials 
soJ.d in }febraska, on whiob ASC payments are made. 
Lime Recommendation 
The lime recommendation given on the soil test report is based upon liming material 
that is 60 per cent effective. I.f you buy materials of lower ef'.fectiveness you 
need more lime. Iof you buy lime o:C higher quality less lime is needed, Adjust 
your rate of application according to the qusli1i\" of lime to be applied. For ex~ 
ample, if your soiJ. tests show a lime requirement of 3 tons per acre and you are 
buying 50 per cent effective lime then 3 x 1.2• 3.6 tons per acre needed. 
Apply the lime several months before seeding legumes if possible. L:l.ntin!l just 
before seeding the legume is usually less effective than applying several months 
before seeding, but :i.e far better than using no lime at a11, or applying it aftel' 
seeding. · 
Lime may be spread at any t ime of the year and is harmless to all crops, even tnough 
some of it sticks to the leaves. 
Kinds of Liming Materials 
a, Ground limestone. Lilnestone is vaLuable for its content of calcium carbonate, 
or CBiclum pius magnesium carbonate. These materials, depending upon the finene.\·s, 
neutralize soil acidity and supply the necessary calcium for all crops. Dolomitic 
limestone supplies both calcli.um and magnesium. 
b. Sugar factory lime. SUgar factory lims is a fine, floury material high ·in 
calcium carbonate, and there:frore an excellent liming material. Sugar factory lime 
dumps are located near norfol.k and Ames, Nebraska, anC: at the sugar factories 
located near Grand Island and Scottsbluff. 
c . Hydrated and burned 11me. Hydrated and burned (quick) l.ime ere very effective 
and quick acting. These materials are caustic and therefore hard to handle. The 
lime from the acel.ytene producer in Omaha is largely hydrate. 


CC124  Use Top Quality Lime on your Farm

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnHistorical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension6-1955CC124 Use Top Quality Lime on your FarmW. E. RinglerFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhistThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted forinclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University ofNebraska - Lincoln.Ringler, W. E., "CC124 Use Top Quality Lime on your Farm" (1955). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.3063.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/3063f lqfl) ONIV. OF NEBRASK.4 ~~USE TOP QUALITY LTME Thraug)l SO mesh (like nour) ~effective hO% efi'ective Held on 8 mesh (like gravel) Less than J.O% effective ON 11. E. Ringler, Ass• t. Extension J\Ule 1955 M c.c. 12'4 The value of a liming material for correcting soil acidity depends on three !'actors: purity, rineness, and moisture content. These three factors must be considered 1n determin-ing how much lime should be applied per acre. Purity Purity refers to the neutralizing power of the liming mater-ial, It is expressed as "per cent calcium carbonate equiva-lent" . Pure limeatone would teat 100%. Some of the dolo-llli tic limestone or hydrated lime may test over 100%. The lower the purity the more lime it takes to neutralize the acidity. Fineness Fineness refers to the particle size of the liming material. Many ground limestones conta:ln particles frOill dust to the size of coarse gravel. When the limestone is applied to the soil, the .fine particles dissolve readily and combine with the soil acids to neutral~e them and furnish calcium to the plants. The coarse particles dissolve very slowly and have little value, The .fineness of ground limestone is determined by passing a small sample through a set of' screens or sieves. Usually 3 sieves are used. The coarsest o.f these has 8 open:lngs per inch, 'While the finest sie'f'e bas so. Moisture The moisture content o! liming material 1d.ll. vary with the weather. Excessive moisture in the lime does not lower its effectiveness but the weight of 01ater it contains has no value for neutralizing acid soil. As the l1me ill ground it is usllal.~y put in cons shaped piles for storage . In this way the bulk of the lime ill not af.fected by seasonal ra:lns. Nebraska Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, University of Nebraska College of Agriculture and u. s. Department of Agriculture Cooperating, W. V. Lambert, Director, Lincoln. Liming Materials "re~ted Each Month Lime samples are taken each month fiom the various quarries and lime dumps over the state. Representative samples are taken and tested by the University of Nebraska Soil Testing Service . The results of the tests are sent to the county extension agents each month. The . ~ort gives the purity, fineness, and moisture content! of each lime sample tested • . on the basis o£ these .factors the "per cent et':Cective~ ness" of each material is calcuJ.ated, • I RATE OF APPLICAT ION DEPENDS ON QUALITY (Per cent eUe~ti~.e ~)OF LIMING MATERIAL .. • • ;r ~ Liming Material % E!tectiveness 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 .. Ad,iuswd Rate 4.6, 3.0 2.~ 2.0 1.7 1.5 l ,J 1 .2 l.'l Liming 11aterial % Effectiveness '66 . 65 70 75 so 85 9Q 95 100 Adjusted Rate l,o .95 . 90 .80 ·15 .70 .66 .63 .60 *Ask your county agent about J.ilning mate.rials sold in your area. Your county agent can tell you the quality (per cent effectiveness) of all Uming materials soJ.d in }febraska, on whiob ASC payments are made. Lime Recommendation The lime recommendation given on the soil test report is based upon liming material that is 60 per cent effective. I.f you buy materials of lower ef'.fectiveness you need more lime. Iof you buy lime o:C higher quality less lime is needed, Adjust your rate of application according to the qusli1i\" of lime to be applied. For ex~ ample, if your soiJ. tests show a lime requirement of 3 tons per acre and you are buying 50 per cent effective lime then 3 x 1.2• 3.6 tons per acre needed. Apply the lime several months before seeding legumes if possible. L:l.ntin!l just before seeding the legume is usually less effective than applying several months before seeding, but :i.e far better than using no lime at a11, or applying it aftel' seeding. · Lime may be spread at any t ime of the year and is harmless to all crops, even tnough some of it sticks to the leaves. Kinds of Liming Materials a, Ground limestone. Lilnestone is vaLuable for its content of calcium carbonate, or CBiclum pius magnesium carbonate. These materials, depending upon the finene.\·s, neutralize soil acidity and supply the necessary calcium for all crops. Dolomitic limestone supplies both calcli.um and magnesium. b. Sugar factory lime. SUgar factory lims is a fine, floury material high ·in calcium carbonate, and there:frore an excellent liming material. Sugar factory lime dumps are located near norfol.k and Ames, Nebraska, anC: at the sugar factories located near Grand Island and Scottsbluff. c . Hydrated and burned 11me. Hydrated and burned (quick) l.ime ere very effective and quick acting. These materials are caustic and therefore hard to handle. The lime from the acel.ytene producer in Omaha is largely hydrate. 

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CC124 Use Top Quality Lime on your Farm

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