SOILS FERTILIZERS. 223 



The results showed that this soil was well fitted for lawns as regards texture 

 and mineral plant food and that, therefore, resoiling as previously recommended 

 was unnecessary. Amelioration of the unfavorable conditions must be brought 

 about by more careful management, including the eradication of weeds and 

 undesirable plants, the rational application of stable manure and mineral fer- 

 tilizers, and the construction of a more adequate system of surface and under 

 drainage. 



Dune areas of New Zealand, L. Cockayne (Wellington, Neio Zeal.: Dept. of 

 Lands, 1911, pp. 76, pis. 2S). — This is a continuation report on the sand dunes 

 of New Zealand and, in addition to enlarging the previous report on their 

 geology and botany (E. S. R., 24, p. 420), deals particularly and in detail with 

 methods of reclaiming these dunes. 



The author recommends the inauguration of carefully planned experiments 

 to test the feasibility of afforestation. Planting of marram-grass, but not of 

 tree-lupin, should be encouraged in his opinion, and fencing in of such areas is 

 considered unnecessary in most cases. Trees, on the other hand, if planted 

 should be fenced in. 



A bibliography of the literature on the subject is appended. 



Earthworms and small animals in the German forest soil, E. Ramann 

 (Intemat. Mitt. Bodenk., 1 {1911), No. 2, pp. i3S-i64).— The author reports the 

 results of examinations of a large number of soil types from different forests 

 of Germany to determine the kind and number of animal organisms in the soils 

 and their relation to soil formation, flora, and climate. In general he found 

 that the activity of the animal life was much more pronounced for loam than 

 for sandy soils, and increased also with an adequate water content. The in- 

 fluence of animal life on humus formation and mechanical condition of the 

 soil is emphasized, although no definite relation could be established from the 

 investigation reported. 



Observations on the improvement of alkali soils, A. A. J. von Sigmond 

 (Intemat. Mitt. Bodenk., 1 (1911), No. 1, pp. ^-66, dgms. 2).— This is a con- 

 tinuation of investigations on the alkali soils of Hungary (E. S. R., 23, p. 415j. 



The author divides the soils into two main groups, (1) the so-called char- 

 acteristic alkali and (2) the soda soils. The former are subdivided into pro- 

 ductive and steppe or meadow soils and these again into minor divisions. The 

 soda soils are divided into clay, loam, and sand types. 



The different layers distinguished in the alkali soils were (1) an ash-colored 

 humus clay, (2) a brown transition layer, (3) a loamy marl with lime concre- 

 tions, and (4) a blue clay (impervious). ' The soda soils had no distinct layers, 

 but typical of them was a layer of sand at a depth of about G ft. which con- 

 tained an impervious layer of lime (hardpan), wherever it was covered with 

 a surface layer of sand or a shallow layer (about 18 in.) of a salt-saturated 

 loam. These lime banks (hardpan) were not formed where there was a sur- 

 face layer of clay (about 4i ft.). 



Both the so-called alkali and soda soils formed, or had a tendency to form, 

 crusts, but of a widely different nature. The soda soils during dry seasons 

 often formed a pure salt conglomerate consisting of soda, sodium chlorid, and 

 small amounts of other soluble salts. They were soluble in water, gave an 

 alkaline reaction, and were moist to the touch in dry seasons. The crusts of 

 the alkali soils were insoluble in water, even absorbed water very slowly, and 

 the water-soluble parts often amounted to only 0.1 to 0.2 i>er cent. 



The results of experiments in the improvement of these soils are briefly 

 reviewed, showing that an application of marl and unrotted stable manure and 

 thorough draining will greatly improve the condition of the so-called productive 

 24971°--No. 3—12 3 



