254 abstracts: agricultural chemistry 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY —City street sweepings as a fertilizer. 



J. J. Skinner and J. H. Beattie. Circular of the Bureau of soils, 



No. 66. 1912. 

 Several samples of street sweepings from one of the large cities were 

 analyzed and found to contain sHghtly less phosphate, nitrate and potash 

 than the average stable manure. The effect of the sweepings on growth 

 was tested, by growing corn, wheat and cabbage in paraffined wire pats. 

 The street sweepings produced increased growth, but were not as effec- 

 tive as stable manure. The sweepings were analyzed for mineral oil 

 and some of the samples contained as much as 2 per cent. The oil 

 isolated from the sweepings was tested and found to be harmful to 

 growth. After the oil had been extracted, the street sweepings were" 

 as efficient in producing growth as stable manure. J. J. S. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY.— LaM;w soils and lawns. Oswald 

 ScHREiNER, J. J. Skinner, L. C. Corbett and F. L. Mulford. 

 Farmers' Bulletin, U. S. Department of Agriculture, No. 494. 1912. 

 In this bulletin is presented the character of soils in respect to their 

 suitability for lawn making. The texture of soils as related to lawns 

 is emphasized. The soils suitable for the building of lawns, parks, 

 parked embankments, terraces, etc., receive special consideration; also 

 the best methods for building up artificial grounds by the hauling in 

 of such suitable soil material, both for subsoil fillings and for surface 

 layering. A list of soil types well adapted to grass growing is included. 

 The establishment, fertifization and maintenance of lawns are con- 

 sidered and suggestions given as to the selection of seeds adapted to 

 lawn making. A chapter on the relation of walks, drives, trees and 

 shrubs to the lawn is included. • J. J. S. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY.— 5ene/iaa^ effect of creatinine and 



creatine on growth. J. J. Skinner. Botanical Gazette, 54: 152. 



1912. 



Creatinine and creatine are both beneficial to plant growth. Plants 



growing in culture solutions containing only potash and phosphate 



show increased growth when creatinine or creatine is added. When 



large amounts of nitrates are present in the solution, creatinine and 



creatine produce no appreciable effect on the growth. In the presence 



of these compounds the plants absorb less nitrate, while the absorption 



of potash and phosphate is normal. It appears that creatinine and 



creatine can replace nitrate in solution cultures. J. J. S. 



