514 EXPEBIMENT STATION EECORD. 



staiit lUirins the first period of vegetation. After l)iuv<;stii)g, however, the 

 potato soil lost the water with much greater rapidity. 



The penetration of rainfall in the soil was found to be comparatively rapid, 

 in some cases reaching a depth of 125 cm. (about 49.25 in.) within 7 days after 

 rains occurred. 



Soil moisture, J. Casc6n {Bol. Agr. T6c. y Ecori., 3 (1911), No. 29, pp. JM- 

 .'/,S'J, ilgtns. 3). — This article reports and briefly discusses the results of tests 

 conducted at Palencia, S])ain, bearing on the moisture of different soils in rela- 

 tion to fallowing, cultivation, and kind of crop grown. Observations on rain- 

 fall and evaporation from I-'ebruary to June, inclusive, during 1908, 1909, and 

 1910, are also reported. 



The absorption of aqueous vapor from the air by soils, E. Pacheco (Asoc. 

 Espan. Prog. Cien. Cong. Zaragoza, vol. //, pt. 1, pp. 161-169; abs. in Geol. 

 Zentbl., 15 (1910), No. 8, pp. 386, 387; \Vasser lu Ahwassci; Jf (1911), No. 1, 

 p^ 22). — Referring to the observation by geologists that more water is annually 

 evaporated from the soil than falls in the form of rain, the author attempts to 

 explain how this deficiency is made up and maintains that it is done by direct 

 absorption of the aqueous vapor of the air by the soil. He cites a number of 

 cases (Canary Islands and Estremadura) of maintenance of vegetation by 

 water from this source in regions where almost no rain falls. 



Biolog'ical-chemical processes in the soil, W. Mooser (Landiv. Vers. Stat.. 

 75 (1911), No. 1-2, pp. 53-106; abs. in Jour. Chcm. Soc. [London], 100 (1911). 

 No. 58Jt, II., p. 530). — The author reviews the work of other investigators 

 bearing on the subject and reports the results of experiments on the influence 

 of calcium carbonate, benzoic acid, and cresol on nitrification, loss of am- 

 monia from increased application of lime, formation of nitrates in steril- 

 ized soils and in washed soils without addition of ammonia, and on the " de- 

 phenolizing" power of soils as determined by its action on paracresol and as 

 affected by temperature of the soil and period of application of the cresol. 



Among the more important results obtained it is noted that the benzoic acid 

 exerted a depressing influence on nitrification in the soil and that on the other 

 hand the presence of alkalis, in not too large quantities, tended to neutralize 

 this effect. 



The application of cresol at first inhibited nitrification, but after a period 

 of 30 days the formation of nitrates was the same for soils with and without 

 application of cresol. It is believed that the bacterial activity does not cause 

 the formation of nitrates, but that there is another oxidation process which in 

 the case of the cresol soils attacked and changed into other forms the abundant 

 and finely divided carbon compounds, after which the normal process of oxida- 

 tion of ammonia is resumed. It appears that the changing of the cresol was 

 considerably influenced by the temperature, no energetic reduction setting in 

 under 35° C. The author suggests that an explanation of this " dephenolizing " 

 power of soils be looked for in a study of enzymotic and catalytic agents. 



Production of acids and alkalis in the soil, A. D. Hall and N. H. J. 

 Miller (7. Intcrnat. Cong. Appl. Chem-. [London], 1909, Sect. VII, pp. 17, IS; 

 abs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 100 (1911), No. 583, II, pp. 429, J,30).— This 

 article is based upon experiments at Rothamsted, showing that a long-continued 

 application of ammonium salts resulted in the accumulation of free mineral 

 and humus acids in soils deficient in calcium carbonate, to such an extent that 

 nitrification was interfered with and nitrogen was assimilated in the form of 

 ammonia. On the other hand, continued application of sodium nitrate produced 

 an alkaline reaction and puddling of the soil. 



