Abstract
The investigation is a report on the pH-reaction in the plough layer of the soil improvement and fertilizing tests carried on at the Experimental Station of Leteensuo during several decades. The tests were located on two areas with a peat layer consisting of Sphagnum peat with pH 3.3, derived from S. fuscum moss in one case, and of forest sedge peat with pH 4.1 in the other. The clay and sand employed as soil improving agents had pH 5.9 and 4.4, respectively. The effect of liming has proved to be relatively prolonged on Sphagnum bog as well as on fen soil. In the test with different rates of lime addition on Sphagnum bog, the pH value was found to increase linearly with the lime quantity. Addition of mineral soil has produced a remarkable increase in pH. Its effect, too, has been highly prolonged. In spite of their different inherent reactions, the sand and clay have exerted largely similar effects on the pH value of the plough layer. Stable manure possesses an effect resulting in an increase of the pH value and this value is also increased by calcium nitrate fertilization, whereas fertilizing with potassium salt and with superphosphate or fine-ground rock phosphate did not affect the reaction of the peat in any noteworthy and distinct degree.
Highlights
The trials were established on two areas with peat layers consisting of unhumified Sphagnum peat derived from Sph. fuscum and of slightly humified forest sedge peat, respectively
All of the Sphagnum bog trials were concerned with plots located in an area where the peat consisted of nearly unhumified Sphagnum peat derived from S. fuscum moss
In the liming and claying trial, the pH value was investigated in the 20—30 cm and 50—60 cm layers below the plough layer
Summary
At the Leteensuo Experimental Station of the Peat Cultivation Society a number of long-term soil improvement and fertilizing trials have been in progress during several decades. Results from these trials have been published in several connections in recent years [2, 4,5, 6,9]. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the change of pH-reaction that has occurred in the peat of the plough layer on the cultivated bog lands in these trials In these trials the most recent soil improvement treatment was done relatively long ago, and fertilization has been constant year after year. In the present paper no extensive treatment of the topic on the basis of existing literature is intended; the author merely desired to throw some light on the long-term trials at Leteensuo in regard to the soil pH-reaction
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
