128 Bulletin 394 



In addition to the determinations listed above, the Hme requirement 

 was obtained by the Veitch method. One gram of moisture-free fine 

 soil was satisfied by 0.00103 gram of calciimi oxide, corresponding to a 

 requirement of about 3600 pounds per acre-foot. 



The soil used in the second year's work was obtained from the same 

 place as that on which the above analyses were made. It was examined 

 for nitrogen, nitrates, and lime requirement, with the following results: 



Nitrogen 0.1857 per cent 



Nitrates 3 parts per million 



Lime requirement 0.00 1 1 gram CaO per gram of soil 



The determination for nitrates was made on the moist soil as placed 

 in the pots, and the result obtained was figured to the moisture-free basis. 



The results of the chemical analysis show the soil to be deficient in 

 calcium oxide, and there is a lack of organic matter indicated by the 

 determinations for organic carbon and humus. The figure for volatile 

 matter is included merely for comparison with the two determinations 

 mentioned above, as a means of showing that the loss on ignition is no 

 measure of the organic matter present in a soil of this type. The soil 

 is acid according to the Veitch method. The soil as analyzed contained 

 considerable organic material still retaining a definite cell structure. 

 This fact explains why the figure obtained for percentage of organic 

 carbon is higher than that for htrmus, and, when considered with the 

 result obtained for lime requirement, indicates that conditions were 

 unfavorable for decomposition to proceed. Thus, not only is the soil 

 deficient in organic matter and nitrogen, but conditions are such that 

 the conversion of potential into actual plant food must be occurring at 

 a very slow rate. 



A striking difference in the two samples of soil- is noted as regards 

 nitrates. Tho both samples were taken at about the same time of year, 

 the secotid season was a much later one. The spring months were 

 characterized by cold, wet weather, a condition inhibiting the formation 

 of nitrates. The crop grown on the soil the year previous to that in 

 which the first sample was taken was potatoes; the field was in grass 

 when the second sample was obtained. The inhibiting effect of mixed 

 grasses on the formation of nitrates has been shown by Lyon and Bizzell 



(1913)- 



THE SEED 



The seed used in the experiment was furnished by the Bokhara Seed 

 Company, of Falmouth, Kentucky, and was obtained from a crop grown 

 the previous year in Pendleton County, Kentucky. Inasmuch as one 

 of the causes of failure in obtaining a satisfactory stand of sweet clover 



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