Vol. XII. No. 287. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



IS."* 



not found to be killed. Sometimes ciliates and amiubiu were 

 found in soils in which the detrimental factor had been put 

 out of action but methods did not enable the investigators to 

 discriminate directly between [irotozoan cy.sts and active 

 forms. In general, however, the parallelism between the 

 detrimental factor and the soil protozoa was so complete as 

 to justify the conclusion that proto/.oa were the detrimental 

 organisms. 



A vnin search was made for bacterio-toxins, for evidence 

 of bacterial stimulus, of improvements in the bacterial flora. 

 The inability to isolate toxins did not necessarily disagree 

 with Schreiner's work in America since this investigator 

 experimented with badly drained and aerated soils, whereas 

 those used at liothamsted were well drained, well aerated 

 a,nd well supplied with calcium carbonate. 



Turning now to the criticisms that have been passed on 

 the above results in America it will be convenient to present 

 the following summary: — • 



Lipman and others state that when pasteurized and 

 untreated soil infusions are added respectively to mi.x- 

 tures of dried blood and sterilized soil (heated under 

 a pressure of 15 atmospheres of .steam) the pasteurized 

 anfusions induce after seven days the formation of no 

 more ammonia tLan the untreated infusion. These results, 

 they say, do not bear out liussell's and Hutchinson's 

 contention as to the part played by protozoa in depressing 

 the activities of soil bacteria. 



In return, Russell asserts that the argument does not 

 bear upon the question, for the following reasons: — 



(1) The failure of the protozoa to develop in the highly 

 Leated soil would be no evidence at all of their inability to 

 develop in normal soil. 



(2) As a matter of fact, in this highly heated soil the 

 nitrifying bacteria did not appear to develop: 'Would 

 Dr. Lipman argue,' writes Russell, 'that this result does not 

 iear out the usual contention as to the part played by 

 nitrifying organisms in the soiH' 



(3) Even if the detrimental organisms could develop 

 in highly heated soil they were not given a chance: Russell 

 and Hutchinson never observed any development in anything 

 like so short a i)eriod as seven days: their experiments had 

 always been continued much longer. 



(4) Lastly the action of the detrimental organism is 

 to keep down the munhers of bacteria. Xow the rate of 

 ammonia production is not necessarily a measure of bacterial 

 numbers and therefore affords no rigid test of the activity of 

 the detrimental organism. 



The ne.Kt critic is Stone, who stales, on the evidence of 

 Lodge's and Smith's e.xperiments, that he considers protozoa 

 Lave little or no part in accounting for the increased number 

 of bacteria in their soils. The experiments consisted in the 

 addition of soil bacteria to decoctions of untreated soil and of 

 soil heated for forty-five minutes to 200°F. Greater bacterial 

 development occurred in the decoction of sterilized soil than in 

 the decoction of the untreated soil. (A subsoil behaved 

 differently. ) The authors stated that protozoa were absent 

 and that the results must be due to other causes. 



]lu.ssell answers as follows: — 



(1) He agrees entirely with the last conclusion, but 

 points out that it throws no light on what happens in un- 

 treated soil. It therefore does not bear upon the question 

 under immediate discussion. 



(2) As regards the absence or paucity of jjrotozoa in 

 the Massachusetts .soil, fiussell hints that it would be inter- 

 -ssting if the investigators had e.xplained the difference 

 tetween their soil conditions and those at Michigan where 



Rahn found protozoa of the .same types occurring in numbers 

 of the same order per gram as were found at Rothamsted ia 

 England. 



Space will not permit reference to further criticisms of 

 a similar nature. In conclusion Russell fully acknowledges 

 that the phagocytic protozoa constitute only one factor which 

 may limit soil fertility, but he maintains, and proves 

 satisfactorily, that it is an extremely important one. It 

 would appear that the controversy has arisen through con- 

 fusion on the part of some Americin investigators in their 

 enthusiastic endeavour to study more than one factor at 

 a time, and through insutticient consideration being given 

 by agricultural chemists in that country, to the fact that 

 a highly heated soil provides an entirely different medium 

 for micro-organic development than does partially sterilized 

 and untreated soil. 



ST. KITIS AGRICULTURAL AND 

 INDUSTRIAL SHOW, 1913. 



In the last issue but one of the A'jricuUural News it 

 was stated that the seventh Agricultural and Industrial 

 Show had been held in St. Kitts on .March 7, 1913. As was 

 promised, further details are now given in regard to the 

 nature of the exhibits and the awarding of the prizes. 



The show of 1913 both in number and quality of 

 exhibits, was a distinct advance on those of the last two 

 years. The total number of exhibits this year was Sll as 

 against 620 in 1912 and 736 in 1911. The Sll exhibits 

 were made up as follows: live stock, horses, mules and cattle, 

 68; sheep, goats and pigs 14; poultry and rabbits 30; sugar- 

 cane and its products 59; fruits 73; vegetables 105; industrieij 

 49; fancy work 47; preserves 124; maize and starches 46; 

 plants and flowers 47; school exhibits 5; miscellaneous 69. 



In the horse class, and in the driving and riding com- 

 petitions several interesting exhibits were shown, but in the 

 cattle class the represeniation was distinctly poor as compared 

 with previous years. The first prize for mules was awarded 

 to Mansion estate for a very fine team imported from 

 Montserrat. 



The sugar-canes w-ere numerous and of high quality, 

 especially in the class for cut canes. The first prize for cut 

 canes weighing 140 lb, and for four varieties of cut canes, 

 six of each variety, weighing 235 lb., were won by Molineux 

 estate. A diploma of merit was awarded Brighton estate 

 for vacuum pan sugar. 



As formerly stated, the e.xhibits of fruit and vegstables 

 were a distinct advance on those of previous years. Prizes 

 were viron by Mr. J. Mulrain and Mr. J. Fraites. 



The exhibits comprising the industrial classes represAited 

 fancy work, tailors' work, native wood work, and a fine exhibit 

 by Mr. McConnel, Chairman of the Fine Cotton Spinners' 

 Association, showing cotton in all stages of manufacture 

 from raw cotton to yarn. Another very striking illustrative 

 exhibit was a collection of scientific and economic specimens 

 from the laboratory of the Leeward Islands Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and in the miscellaneous class very 

 creditable exhibits of cotton seed cake meal, oil and native 

 cigars were to be seen. 



The prizes won at the show and the diplomas of merit 

 awarded by the Imperial Department of Agriculture wera 

 distributed by Mis Honour the Administrator, at a special 

 meeting of the Agricultural and Commercial Society held ork. 

 Tuesday April l', 1913. 



