SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 623 



Soils on which phosphorite is effective, K. K. Gedroits {Zhur. Opytn. Agi'on. 

 (Russ. Jour. Expt. Landw.), 12 (1911), No. 6, pp. 811-818, fig. i).— The experi- 

 ments reported in this article were untlertalveu to ascertain the relation be- 

 tween the action of phosphorite and the degree of saturation of the mineral 

 constituents of the soil. 



In pot experiments it was found that the phosphorite was much more effective 

 on a sandy loam soil which contained, an excess of acidic over basic constituents 

 than on a saturated light loam soil. It was found also that a productive 

 chernozem soil which did not respond to applications of phosphorite in its 

 natural condition was much benefited by applications of phosphorite after it 

 had been subjected to the action of carbonated water, which materially reduced 

 its basicity. 



Phosphate lands withdrawn from entry (U. S. Geol. Survey Press BuL, n. 

 scr., 19 J 2, .Yo. ///, /). /). — It is stated that up to the end of January, 1912, there 

 had been withdrawn from entry in Idaho a total of 1,167,137 acres of phosphate 

 land; in Wj-oming, 1,266,668 acres; in Utah, 107,745 acres; in Montana, 33,950 

 acres; and in Florida, 35,640 acres, making a total of 2,611,140 acres. 



Potash-bearing rocks of the Leucite Hills, Sweetwater County, Wyoming, 

 A. K. ScHULTz and W. Cross (U. »S'. Geol. Survey Bui. 512, pp. S9, pi. 1, figs. 

 9). — This bulletin "describes briefly the rocks in the Leucite Hills, "Wyoming, 

 and estimates the amount of leucite-bearing rock available and the approxi- 

 mate amount of potash that these rocks may yield as soon as a process is dis- 

 covered by which the potash can be dissociated from the rock cheaply enough 

 for commercial use." It is estimated that the available leucite-bearing rock 

 in this region amounts to 1,973,000,000 tons, which, on a basis of 10 per cent 

 of potash and 10 per cent of alumina, is capable of yielding 197,000,000 tons 

 each of these materials. 



The fertilizing action of common salt, H. G. Sodekbaum (Meddel. Cen- 

 tralanst. Forsoksv. Jordbruksomrddet, 1911, No. 51, pp. 12; K. Landthr. Ak<td. 

 Handl. och. Tidskr., 51 (1912), No. 1, pp. 21-29).— To determine whether the 

 beneficial effect which has been observed in the use of common salt as a fertilizer 

 for various crops is due to the sodium or to the chlorin which it furnishes, the 

 author made pot exjieriments with oats in which sodium nitrate, ammonium 

 chlorid, and ammonium sulphate were used as sources of nitrogen in combina- 

 tion with basal fertilizers supplying the necessary amounts of other fertilizing 

 constituents. In certain cases the equivalent amounts of sodium furnished by 

 the sodium nitrate were supplied in form of sodium chlorid. 



In every case the addition of sodium chlorid appreciably increased the total 

 yield whether it was used in connection with sodium nitrate or ammonium 

 sulphate, but no such increase was observed when it was used in combination 

 with ammonium chlorid. The author, therefore, concludes that the beneficial 

 effect of the salt was due to its chlorin content rather than to the sodium which 

 it supplied, particularly in view of the fact that the soil on which these experi- 

 ments were made was poor in chlorin. 



Bat guano in Mexico, A. V. Dye (Daily Cons, and Trade Bpts. [U. S.], 15 

 (1912), No. Jfl, p. 735). — Brief reference is made to the bat guano deposits, 

 found especially in different localities in the State of Sonora, the exportation of 

 which through the port of Nogales during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911, is 

 stated to have been 1,893 tons valued at $28,432. The average ammonia con- 

 tent is from 12 to 15 per cent, sometimes running as high as 20 per cent. Guano 

 containing less than 10 per cent ammonia is not accepted for export. A crude 

 method of judging of the ammonia content of the guano by treating it with 

 unslaked lime in water is described. 



38038°— No. 7—12 3 



