SOILS FERTILIZERS. 423 



soils come next, followed by those with yellowish subsoil, while the least 

 valuable and the most difficult to handle are the light gray, silty soils, which 

 are known as ' crawfishy ' and which are apt to be in need of drainage. 



" In regard to adaptability to different crops, the dark red areas are espe- 

 cially well suited to wheat, corn, and various forage crops, including clover 

 and grass. The gray soils are excellent for tobacco, peanuts, and various 

 trucking crops; also for corn, wheat, and other general farm crops, although 

 clover and grass are satisfactorily obtained with some difficulty. It should be 

 considered, however, that for all the Highland Rim uplands, manure, ferti- 

 lizers, and lime are important aids to successful farming." 



The experiments show that the Central Basin soils have declined in fer- 

 tility. This is ascribed " to losses of soil nitrogen and of vegetable matter, 

 owing in large part to erosion during heavy rains and in part to excessive 

 grain growing, together with failure to care for the farmyard manure and the 

 like. . . . The crop rotations followed in this section, although well suited to 

 the rich soil of former years, are not the best under the present circumstances. 

 Grain crops have played a too important part and the legumes, the nitrogen 

 gatherers, have not had the place which they deserve. . . . The following 

 rotation is recommended in particular for the consideration of those engaged 

 in live stock farming : Corn, followed by a winter cover crop, such as rye or 

 crimson clover and rye, soy beans or cowpeas, wheat, clover, and grass (2 

 years). This is a five-year rotation, which would be expected not only to give 

 remunerative crops but also to do much toward increasing the productiveness 

 of any of these soils." 



The experimental results on Cumberland Plateau soils " prove conclusively 

 the great need of lime, phosphoric acid, and nitrogen, but that the supply of 

 potash is relatively abundant, provided due care be taken to keep on the farm 

 the residues from the straw, stover, grass, etc., produced." 



Maintenance of soil fertility: Plans of summary tables (Ohio Sta. Circ. 

 llJi, pp. 21, fig. 1). — This is one of the annual statements on the subject (E. S. 

 R., 23, p. 717) bringing the data for the experiments up to the end of 1910 

 and summarizing the results for 17 years (1894-1910). The experiments of 

 which data are summarized were with fertilizers and manure on crops grown 

 continuously on the same land in a 5-year rotation of corn, oats, wheat, clover, 

 and timothy ; in a potato, wheat, and clover rotation ; and with fresh and 

 reinforced manure, lime, and floats. 



The composition of Posen soils, and the results of fertilizer experiments, 

 M. Gerlach (Mitt. Kaiser Wilhehns Inst. Landw. Bromberg, 3 (,1911), No. 5, 

 pp. 295-330). — The results are reported of mechanical and chemical analyses of 

 rye, barley, and wheat soils of the region and of 3 seasons' experiments with 

 the ordinary fertilizers on rye, barley, and potatoes. 



The results in general point to the need of mineral fertilizers in addition to 

 stable manure. Some soils were poor in lime. 



Some practical experiences in moor culture obtained by the Swedish Moor 

 Culture Society, 1887-1909, H. von Feilitzen (SvensM MossJculturfor. Tidskr., 

 25 (1911), No. 4, Sup. 2, pp. 94, figs. 97). — This is a popular summary report 

 based largely upon work at the Moor Culture Station at Jonkoping, Flahult, and 

 other places in Sweden. 



Fertilizer and field trials with moor soils, 1910, H. von Feilitzen (Svenska 

 Mosskulturfor. Tidskr., 25 {1911), Nos. Jf~5, pp. 405-465, figs. 9; 6, pp. 553-601, 

 figs. 3). — This is the annual report of experiments conducted during 1910 at the 

 Moor Culture Stations at Jonkoping, Flahult, and Torestorp. 

 32355°— No. 5—12 3 



