xcii Department of Soil Technology 



quantities of calcium and other constituents of the drainage water is 

 being studied by means of large tanks filled with soil from which the 

 natural drainage is collected. Analysis of this drainage shows a much 

 greater loss of calcium from unplanted soil than from soil on which 

 maize, oats, and timothy were grown. The difference amounted to more 

 than two hundred pounds per acre in one year. There was a correspond- 

 ing difference in the loss of nitrates from these tanks, indicating that a 

 large removal of nitrates in the drainage water causes a large loss of 

 lime. Of the soil constituents, calcium was removed in the largest 

 amount, then magnesium, potassium, and sodium in the order named. 

 The drairLage water contained only a trace of phosphorus. 



Other experiments and investigations 



A study of soil types. — Representative samples of certain types of 

 soil are taken from three different areas of the same type located in 

 different parts of the State. Chemical determinations of the absolute 

 quantities of nitrogen, carbon, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, 

 phosphorus, and carbonates are being made from these samples, also 

 mechanical analyses and the determination of certain physical properties. 

 It is desired to ascertain whether the chemical composition of a soil type 

 as now classified is characteristic of that type, and fairly uniform. This, 

 with the physical examinations, will enable us to ascertain whether there 

 is a correlation of chemical and physical properties that distinguish the 

 type. The study constitutes an effort to test the value of the present 

 classification of soil types. 



A comparison of the practice of fertilising for hay crops with that of 

 fertilizing for grain crops in a rotation of timothy and clover three years, 

 follozved by maize, oats, and luheat each one year. — It is a common prac- 

 tice to fertilize grain crops rather than hay. The apparent advantage in 

 fertilizing for hay in a rotation is that by increasing the yield of hay the 

 quantity of sod is increased, and this is in itself a fertilizer. Also, the 

 hay crop is the most valuable of the field crops in this State if large 

 yields are obtained. Complete fertilizers, with varying quantities of the 

 fertilizer constituents, are being used on different plats, as are also varying 

 quantities of farm manure. In some cases only the hay crops are being 

 fertilized, in others only the grain crops, and in still other tests the hay 

 crops and the wheat are both fertilized. Acid phosphate and ground 

 phosphatic rock are being compared as a source of phosphorus. The first 

 crop of hay was harvested during the year. One of the questions involved 

 in the experiment is the profits from the use of large quantities of ferti- 

 lizers as compared with small fiuantiiics. The law of diminishing returns 



