220 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



rapidly when tlie soil was stirred. Carbonate of lime had almost no ett'ect 

 (possibly a slight increase) upon the rise of water from below and caustic 

 lime reduced the capillary rise of water almost in proportion to the amount of 

 lime used. It also increased the water capacity of both air-dry and moist 

 soils. Carbonate of lime in the form of ground limestone reduced the water 

 capacity in bolli cases, rrocipitated lime was without effect on air-dry soils 

 but increaswl the water capacity in moist soils. 



Caustic lime increased the permeability of the soil, especially in case of 

 moist soils. Carbonate of lime, both as ground limestone and as precipitated 

 carbonate, reduced the i)ernieability in case of air-ilry soils and increased it in 

 case of moist soils. Caustic lime was rapidly washed out of the soil by water, 

 but carbonate of lime, either as limestone or as precipitated carbonate, was 

 not dissolved. 



Evaporation was most rapid from unlimed soil. The soil receiving caustic 

 lime contained the largest amount of moisture at the end of the evaporation 

 experiments, while that receiving carbonate of lime was intermediate in this 

 respect between the unlimed soil and that receiving caustic lime. As far as 

 the appearance would indicate, however, the limed soil dried out most rapidly. 



The hygroscoi)icity of the soil was reduced to the greatest extent by the 

 caustic lime and least by the precipitated carbonate. 



The author is careful to point out that these results were obtained with a 

 light sandy loam soil and might not be ap])licable to soils in general. 



The action of cominercial fertilizers on percolation of water, in soils, E. 

 Blaxck (Ldiidv. Jdhrh., ,?8 (J90<)). .Yo. 5-6'. jijt. S63-S(;!) : dhs. in Chcm. ZrntbL, 

 1009. II, No. 22, PI). ISS8. 788.9).— In tlie investigations reported it was found 

 that tlie addition of kainit, superphosphate, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammo- 

 nia, caustic lime, and calcium carbonate to a sandy loam soil containing 10 to 

 11 per cent of water at rates of 1 per cent of the soil decidedly accelerated 

 percolation in all cases except with nitrate of soda, which decreased it. The 

 increases were especially marked in case of superphosphate and caustic lime. 

 In soils containing 1 per cent of water only the lime accelerated percolation, 

 all other materials decreasing it. With air-dry soils the capacity to retain 

 water was less with all fertilized soils except those receiving lime than with 

 unfertilized soils. Soils treated with nitrate of soda showed the lowest water 

 capacity. 



The soil considered as a transformation laboratory, Maizierks (Engrais, 

 2Jt (1909), No. 38, pp. lOJiS-1051) .—The soil processes by which plant food is 

 rendered available are discussed. 



Investigations on assimilable potash in soils, T. Bieler (Ann. Agr. Siiiss-r, 

 10 (1909). No. .'/. pp. 161-lH'i). — Potash was determined in a number of soils 

 from different parts of Switzerland by means of various solvents, including 

 concentrated cold hydrochloric acid, ammonium chlorid, boiling water, and 

 water containing carbon dioxid. The analytical results are compared with 

 the results of field experiments with different fertilizers. 



The results indicate that extraction with water containing carbon dioxid 

 gives results for both assimilable potash and phosphoric acid more comparable 

 with the results of field experiments than those obtained with concentrated or 

 dilute acids. As a rule soils containing less than 0.15 to 0.2 per cent of potash 

 soluble in carbonated water need potash fertilizers. Calcareous soils yield 

 slightly less potash when treated with carbonated water than noncalcareous 

 soils. Contrary to common belief it was found that clay soils are sometimes 

 much poorer in potash than light soils. Soils containing less than 2.5 per cent 

 of total phosphoric acid and 0.15 per cent of potash soluble in carbonated water 

 were in need of phosphatic fertilizers. 



