226 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



mixed with basic slas or ])otasli salts but should not be mixed with super- 

 phosphate. 



The new nitrogenous fertilizers in our agriculture, E. De Cillis {1st. Agr. 

 Siciliano "Valdisavoja'' Rclaz. 1906-1908, pp. 111-115). — The author discusses 

 briefly the various sources of nitrogen for agricultural use, and gives a brief 

 description of the diftereut methods of obtaining nitrogen from the air. Con- 

 clusions regarding the changes that calcium cyanamid undergoes in the soil and 

 the results of culture experiments at ditferent places are summarized. 



Various experiments with calcium cyanamid, E. De Cillis {1st. Agr. 8i- 

 eiUano " Valdisavoja '' Relaz.' 1906-1908, pp. Ill-ISO, fig. i).— Two series of 

 experiments are reported, the first of which is a study of the changes in nitro- 

 gen content which take place when calcium cyanamid is exposed to the air. 

 From this it is concluded that calcium cyanamid exposed to the air absorbs a 

 considerable quantity of moisture, resulting in an increase of volume and of 

 weight and a decrease in percentage of nitrogen ; the decrease in the percentage 

 of nitrogen corresponds roughly to the increase in weight. There is no per- 

 ceptible loss of ammonia nor of other volatile nitrogenous compounds. The 

 limits of increase in weight and of the corresponding decrease in the percentage 

 of nitrogen are extremely variable and are proportional to the humidity of the 

 atmosphere. The daily increase in weight was from 0.16 to 1.4 per cent of the 

 weight of the original substance and the relative loss of nitrogen varied from 

 0.028 to 0.19 per cent per day. 



The second series of experiments reported is a comparison of calcium cyana- 

 mid with other nitrogenous fertilizers, namely, sulphate of ammonia, nitrate 

 of soda, and dried blood, applied to corn for forage and to sugar beets. Cal- 

 cium cyanamid gave results about equal to those obtained from nitrate of soda 

 and decidedly superior to those from sulphate of ammonia. As a top-dressing 

 it was not so effective as when broadcasted before planting. 



Fertilizer experiments with lime nitrogen, J. Behrens {Ber. Landw. Vers. 

 Anst. Augustenb., 1906, pp. JfO-Jf2). — Plat experiments on barley with lime nitro- 

 gen, nitrogen lime, and nitrate of soda are briefly reported. The three sub- 

 stances were applied at rates furnishing equal amounts of nitrogen. The lime 

 nitrogen and nitrogen lime were applied 7 days before seeding and the nitrate 

 of soda as a top-dressing some time after seeding. 



The results with the nitrate were decidedly better than with the other two 

 substances. The examination of the grain with reference to nitrogen content 

 gave no results which could be ascribed to the varying effect of the different 

 fertilizers. 



The influence of calcium carbonate on transformations of cyanamid in 

 the soil, P. D. Verevkin {Isv. Moskov. Selsk. Khoz. Inst. [Ann. Inst. Agron. 

 Moscou^, 15 {1909), No. 2, pp. 193-199, dgm. 1).—The principal results of the 

 investigations here reported are given in a diagram, which indicates that the 

 addition of calcium carbonate interfered somewhat with the formation of 

 ammonia but promoted nitrification of cyanamid in the soil. 



The agricultural value of lime nitrogen, W. Frear {Penn. Dept. Agr. Bui. 

 177. pp. 78-81). — This is a brief account of the manufacture and use as a fer- 

 tilizer of this material. Attention is called to recent experiments indicating that 

 it is well adapted to mixing with superphosphates. 



German potash industry, A. M. Thackara {Mo. Cons, and Trade Rpts. 

 \JJ. S.^, 1909, No. 349, pp. 175-180). — The importance of this industry from the 

 American standpoint is shown by the fact that one-half of the export from the 

 German potash mines is consumed in the United States. It is explained how 

 the rupture in the German Potash Syndicate has resulted in lower prices to the 

 American consumer with a prospect of further reduction in the future. Static- 



