SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 625 



Phosphoric acid in relation to Australian soils and vegetation, T. Cheery 

 (Jour. Dept. Aijr. Victoria, 9 (1911). .Vo. 2, pp. ll-l-'t; abs. in Chem. Ads., 5 

 {1911), No. 13, pp. 2293, 229J,).—Thiii article reports the results of analyses 

 of soils and of native plants of Victoria, and calls attention to their relatively 

 low phosphoric acid content. Surface soils generally contain from 0.5 to 0.15 

 per cent phosphoric acid, the volcanic and alluvial soils over 0.15 per cent. 



Analyses of a number of characteristic native plants of the region showed 

 only one-tenth of the phosphoric acid content of cultivated cereals grown on 

 the same soil. " It would therefore appear that the native plants have estab- 

 lished a kind of equilibrium in phosphoric acid with the soil." 



The author is of the opinion that the bone diseases which affect animals 

 kept too long on "kangaroo grasses" and similar grazing country may be 

 caused by the low phosphoric acid content of the plants. 



Soils of the Eastern United States and their use, VIII-XVIII, J. A. BoN- 

 STEEL (U. S. Dejit. Agr., Bur. Soils Circs. 30, pp. 15; 31, pp. 17; 32, pp. 18; 38, 

 pp. 17; 34, pp. 15; 35, pp. 19; 36, pp. 16; 37, tip. 16; 38, pp. 17; 39, pp. 19; J,0, 

 pp. 15). — These circulars deal respectively with the following soil types as sur- 

 veyed and mapped by the Bureau of Soils: Circular 30, The Clarksville Silt 

 Loam, of which a total area of 1,.599,938 acres in 15 different surveys in ."> 

 States has been surveyed and mapped ; Circular 31, The Miami Clay Loam, of 

 which a total of 2,281,482 acres in IS areas in 5 States has been surveyed and 

 mapped; Circular 32, The Marshall Silt Loam, of which a total of 4,0.84,230 

 acres in 20 areas in 7 States has been surveyed and mapped; Circular 33, The 

 Knox Silt Loam, of which a total of 1,881,024 acres in 17 areas in 7 States has 

 been surveyed and mapped; Circular 34, The Carrington Loam, of which a 

 total of 1,601,088 acres in 14 areas in 6 States has been surveyed and mapped; 

 Circular .35, The Memphis Silt Loam, of which a total of 1,863,290 acres in 12 

 areas in 6 States has been surveyed and mapped ; Circular 36, The Fargo Clay 

 Loam, of which a total of 601,024 acres in 6 surveys in 3 States has been sur- 

 veyed and mapped. Circular 37, The Clyde Loam, of which a total of 561,068 

 acres in 11 areas in 4 States, has been surveyed and mapped ; Circular 38, The 

 Dekalb Silt Loam, of which a total of 1,122,944 acres in 19 areas in 8 States 

 has been surveyed and mapped; Circular 39, The Porters Loam and Porters 

 Black Loam, of the former of which a total of 436,160 acres in 4 areas in 2 

 States has been surveyed and mapped and of the latter 193.550 acres in 7 areas 

 in 2 States; and Circular 40, The Wabash Silt Loam, of which a total area of 

 801,256 acres in 28 areas in 9 States has been surveyed and mapped. 



[Biological survey at McLeod, North Dakota], W. B. Bell (North Dakota 

 Sta. Rpt. 1909, pp. 57-62). — This report presents observations and recommenda- 

 tions based upon a biological survey at McLeod, N. Dak., as to the most profit- 

 ablfe utilization of the large area of sandy soils of which the vicinity is typical. 

 The soils are classified as (1) McLeod sand, (2) Fargo fine sand, (3) Fargo 

 fine sandy loam, and (4) dune sand. It is considered that these soils are suit- 

 able for dairying, truck farming, and fruit growing, and suggestions are pre- 

 sented regarding each of these lines. The amount of rainfall at McLeod is 

 shown to have been 8.24 in. from June 25 to September 1, 1909. 



Soil analysis, E. F. Ladd (North Dakota Sta. Rpt. 1910, pp. 31-3^).— 

 Analyses of a number of samples of soils from 9 state demonstration farms as 

 well as from other sources are reported. 



Contribution to the study of molds, A. Mazzakon (But. R. See. Toscam,a 

 Ort., 3. ser,, 16 (1911), No. 1, pp. 14-23; ads. in Rev. Gen. Agron., n. ser., 6 

 (1911), No. 5, pp. 193-195) .—This article reports the results of physical and 

 chemical analyses of heath, black, and different forest molds commonly used in 

 Italy. The author divides the molds on the basis of their mineral and organic 



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