222 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



It is jioinlod out tliiit fallowiiiu. wliicb is f(»nsi(lonHl iiocossnr.v as a moans of 

 conserviiij,' soil nioisturo in dry farniin};, t-ausos decidt'd losses of nitrogen. On 

 the otlier liand. the use of jrreen niannres to increase the nitrofjen content of 

 the soil results in a decided loss of water. The author concludes that the 

 nitrofjen problem is less likely to become acute in Saskatchewan than in the 

 central and southern iiarts of the arid region. 



The yeast of the soil, W. H. Bowker (Trans. .1/ass. Ilort. Soc, 1909, pt. 1, 

 PI). I,i-2S). — The yeast of the soil as discussed in this article " is not plant food, 

 but low organisms of life which exist in the soil and but for which agricultural 

 soils would be practically barren." The article discusses the relation of bac- 

 terial activity to comjiosting. drainage, and cultivation, the potential fertility 

 of the soil, the maintenance of the fertility balance, the use of stable manure 

 and conunercial fertilizers, and intensive agriculture. 



Inoculation of the soil with the bacteria of leguminous plants, L. Gran- 

 DEAti {./i,iir. Af/r. I'idl.. u. .sTr.. /,s' ( /.9fl.9), No. J,2, pp. 529, 530).— This is a brief 

 summary of tests of various methods of soil inoculation with cultures of organ- 

 isms which fix nitrogen in symbiosis with leguminous plants. 



Inoculation experiments with tubercle bacteria from different sources, 

 A. G. DoYAKKNKO ( /.c c. J/o.sAor. Sclsk. Khoz. lust. [Ann. Inst. Agron. Mo.scou], 

 Jo [1909), No. 1. pp. 89-97, Jigs. 3). — The experiments reported were undertaken 

 to determine to what extent the tubercle bacteria of one leguminous plant may 

 be effective with another. The results obtained agree in general with those 

 recently reported by Nobbe, Richter, and Simon (E. S. R., 20, p. 620). 



Brack soils, C. F. Juritz {[1909], pp. 11, dgms. 3). — The cause, cultivation, 

 and cure of alkali soils ai'e discussed in this paper, the discussion being based 

 to a large extent upon the results of investigations on this subject in the United 

 States. 



Experiments on alkali soils in Temir in the Ural region, B. Skalov {Zhur. 

 Opuitn. Agron. [Russ. Jour. Expt. Landw.], 9 (1908), No. 3. pp. 3Ji3-361 ; abs. in 

 Chem. Abs.. 3 (1909), No. 21. p. 2601). — Studies of the composition, character- 

 istic flora, and effect on cultivated plants of the alkali soils of this region are 

 reported. 



Experiments with simimer wheat during two seasons indicated that the injury 

 observed was generally due to chlorids and less frequently to alkaline car- 

 bonates. With ordinary moisture conditions an injurious effect was observed 

 when the chlorin content exceeded 0.01 iier cent and the growth of wheat was 

 hindered when the chlorin content was 0.04 to 0.05 per cent. Injurious effects 

 were observed with 0.00.5 to 0.00(5 per cent of alkaline carbonates. With higher 

 moisture content these limits were slightly I'aised. No injurious effect was ob- 

 served with 0.0032 per cent of sulphuric acid. On virgin steppes there was a 

 distinct correlation between soluble salt content and vegetation. With 0.02 per 

 cent chlorin and 0.005 per cent alkalinity the grasses began to be replaced by 

 Artemisia maritinia. With a chlorin content of 0.04 per cent and corresponding 

 increase in alkalinity .1. paiiciflora, Atriplr.v canum and Brachylcpis salsa 

 api)eared. , 



Nebraska soil, G. E. Condra (Nrhr. Farmer. .'/7 (1909). No. J,"!, pp. 1018. 

 1019, figs. ,5). — The soils of the loess, sand hill, high plains, and bad land regions 

 of the State are described and their distribution shown. 



Notes on the soils of Porto Rico, O. Loew (Porto Rico Sta. Rpt. 1908, pp. 

 JfO-Jfff). — The genei-al characteristics of Porto Rican soils, particularly tobacco 

 and cane soils, as shown by samples examined at the station are discussed. 

 Particular attention is given to certain soils which have been found to be un- 

 productive as a result of excess of acidity, alkali, or magnesia (as compared 

 with lime). It js stated that as a rule the soils of cane and tobacco plantations 



