\)5 



conclusions in the following words: "The most striking results we 

 observe are (i) that manuring with ash constituents alone increases the 

 production of nitrates in the soil ; (2) that the b'gger crops grown by 

 ammonium salts or sodium nitrate, with ash constituents, are followed 

 by an increased production of nitrates ; (3) that the use of an organic 

 manure like rape cake or farmyard manure is attended with a large 

 increase in the production of nitrate, even after the first active stage of 

 nitrification is long past. 



The concluding chapter is on the " Nitrification of manures." 

 Salts of ammonium (chloride or sulphate) are of nitrogenous fertilizers 

 the most readily nitrified m a soil Carbonate of lime assists most 

 markedly in this process and Mr. Warington is of the opinion that 

 lime or other salifiable base is deficient in those soils upon which 

 ammonium salts do not act beneficially as a fertilizer. It would appear 

 that guano is very easily nitrified. Miintz and Girard place it in this 

 respect next to ammonium salts; "following guano come green manures 

 (lucerne and lupines,) which compared with other forms of manures, 

 appeared to be especially active in clay soils ; the third class includes 

 dried blood and meat and powdered horn; far below these stand 

 poudreite, wool and leather." 



Lecture 6. Drainage and well waters. This lecture has for its 

 subject the considerat'on of the chemical composition of the drainage 

 and deep well waters at Harpenden, as well as a detailed account of 

 experiments on ttie movement of water in soils, with a discussion on 

 the results obtained therefrom. As the wells are all sunk in the chalk, 

 which lies comparatively close to the surface at Rothamsted, their waters 

 will not be altogether comparable to those from wells 01 Canadian 

 farms. A detailed account of this work will not therefore here be 

 necessary. To the chemist however, if not to the practical agriculturist 

 these data are intensely interesting and exceedingly valuable 



We should very much like to see these lectures published in 

 Canada in order that the agriculturists throughout the Dominion could 

 obtain with facility copies for study. All progressive farmers must now 

 make themselves conversant with these and kindred subjects, and those 

 who wish to be thoroughly posted to date on the important question 



