April, 1920) SOIL SCIENCE L83 



1275. Wakbman, Selma A. The occurrence of Azotobacter in cranberry soils. Science 

 48: 653-654. 1918— See Bot. Abate. 2, Entry 1145. 



METHODS 



1276. Lynde, C. J. On an electrical method of determining the lime requirement of soils. 

 Trans. Soc. Canada Sect. III. 12:21. 1918. — The method is based on the following theory 

 as stated by the author: "If a soil lacks a certain fertilizer, for example K, P. Ca or N, it is 

 probable that it will absorb this fertilizer from solution, and the greater the lack the greater 

 the absorption." As a test of this theory a comparison was made of the lime requirements of 

 12 soils determined by the Rothamstead method, with those found by the proposed electrical 

 method. The author concludes from the results reported that it may be possible to work 

 out an electrical method for the determination of lime requirements of soils. — R. B. Deemer. 



SOIL CLASSIFICATION 



1277. Wilbdon, B. H. The need and objects of a soil survey in the Punjab. Agric. Jour . 

 India 14: 281-291. 1919. — Soil survey is urged in connection with settlement, and irrigation 

 problems. Mechanical analysis of soils is their main basis of classification. The results are 

 plotted graphically on a triangular diagram and show the percentages of silt, sand and clay. 



The soils are further differentiated by plotting the logarithms of the ratio tt — 



fine sand 



fine silt and rcoarse-sand. The constitutive, additive, colligative, variable and 



coarse sand 



agricultural properties of the soil are to be studied. — F. M. Schertz. 



MISCELLANEOUS 



1278. Faulkner, O. T. "Water saving" experiments. Agric. Jour. India 14: 245-55. 

 1919. — Factors affecting water-cost are noted. Some of the problems discussed are: the rela- 

 tion between frequency of irrigation and the stage of growth of the crop; the best depth 

 of water to apply at one time under varying conditions of soil, season and crop; relation 

 between total irrigation and yield; richness of soil and water-cost of crops grown upon it; 

 tilth of soil and water-cost of crops grown upon it. — F. M. Schertz. 



1279. Miller, Justus. Northern Ontario seed potato trade. Potato Mag. l ll 5, 33-34. 

 1919— See Bot. Absts. 3, Entry 881. 



1280. Shutt, Frank T., and E. A. Smith. The 'alkali' content of soils as related to crop 

 growth. Trans. Boy. Soc. Canada (Sec. III.) 12: 83. 1918. — The nature and distribution of 

 "alkali" as occurring in soils of certain semiarid districts of Western Canada were studied, and 

 the results presented in this paper are a contribution towards the establishment of standards 

 as regards safe limits of alkali, particularly as applied to Canadian conditions. Analysis of 

 five soil groups, each series consisting of three groups representative of land upon which (1) 

 there was fair growth, the concentration of the alkali, if present, being apparently negligible, 

 (2) there was poor growth, the crop evidently being distressed by the alkali, and (3) there 

 was no growth due to excess of alkali, are reported. Five samples for each group were 

 selected. The limits of toxicity of the various "alkalis" were determined for Western Rye 

 grass upon a dark brown, almost black, moderately light loam, of good quality; subsoil of 

 heavier character, a dark grey to yellow grey clay with a little sand: for native Prairie grass 

 upon a fairly good sandy loam; subsoil of a heavier nature with a considerable portion of < ' 

 for Oats upon a sandy loam of good quality; for Wheat upon a brown loam of fairly ^ood 

 quality subsoil a heavy clay: for Onions upon a dark brown sandy loam, well supplied with 

 organic matter; sandy subsoil with silty clay. — R. B. Deemer. 



