820 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Grafton, New South Wales, being held in low esteem by settlers, the author 

 analyzed 2 sami)Ies of these soils with a view to determine their adaptability to 

 the growing of forage crops by judicious manuring and crop rotation, including 

 legumes. 



He came to the conclusion that the agricultural possibilities of these soils are 

 better than those of others held in much higher esteem. The poorest sample 

 contained fair amounts of nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid, 0.056, 0.051, 

 and 0.063 per cent respectively, but the lime content was deficient, being only 

 0.076 per cent. The second sample was darker in color and deei^r and con- 

 tained nitrogen 0.077 per cent, potash 0.05 per cent, phosphoric acid 0.088 per 

 cent, and lime 0.145 i:>er cent. 



Soil studies in 1909, B. E. Brown, W. H. MacIntire, et al. (Pennsylvania 

 Sta. Rpt. I'JIO, pp. Jtl-129, pis. 3, dgni. 1, charts I.'/). — The general plan and 

 scope of these studies which were made on plats of the long-time rotation and 

 fertilizer experiments of the station are described and reports are given on 

 specific lines of investigation as follows : 



Seasonal nitrification and soil moisture in four plats treated icith commercial 

 fertilizers (pp. 50-57). — Weekly determinations of moistui'e and nitrates in 

 plats treated with sodium nitrate and ammonium sulphate indicated that the 

 decreased yield of corn on the plats which had received ammonium sulphate 

 continuously for a number of years was not due to a reduction of nitrates in 

 the soil of the plats since a larger amount of nitrates was found in these plats 

 than in those treated continuously with sodium niti*ate. It was shown, however, 

 that the lime requirements of the ammonium sulphate plats were greater than 

 those of the sodium nitrate plats. There was no marked variation in the 

 moisture content of the plats. 



Seasonal nitrification, soil moisture, and lime requirement in four plats re- 

 ceiving sulphate of ammonia (pp. 57-63). — Studies similar to those noted above 

 were made on plats of corn, oats, wheat, and hay which had been continuously 

 fertilized with ammonium sulphate to determine the relation of the kind of crop 

 as well as the fertilizing, to the soil conditions. 



It was found that the lime requirement was greatest in the oat plat and least 

 in case of the corn plat but that the lime requirement varied at different 

 periods of growth. " The amount of nitrates recoverable from the 4 plats was 

 greatest under corn ; oats, wheat, and hay following in the order named. The 

 effect of plowing, incorporation of organic matter and plant residues, etc., ap- 

 parently were closely associated with the amount of nitrates formed. The 

 amounts of moisture present at the time the different crop plants were growing 

 showed no marked variation." It was found in pot experiments that the soil 

 showing the smallest lime requirement (which also contained the greatest 

 amount of nitrates) produced the greatest growth of wheat for a period of 18 

 days. 



The relation of certain soil constituents under groicing corn, oats, wheat, and 

 grass as determined periodically (pp. 64-82). — In laboratory investigations on 

 soil from certain plats of the long-time rotation experiments to determine the 

 seasonal variations of water-soluble nitrogen, potash, lime, phosphorus, and total 

 solids as influenced by growing plants, fertilizer treatment, soil temperature and 

 moisture, rainfall, and tillage methods, the largest amounts of nitrates, water- 

 soluble calcium and potassium, and moisture were found in the com plat. The 

 nitrates recoverable from the corn plat were greatly reduced as the season 

 progressed, but the nitrate content of the grass and wheat plats was low 

 throughout the season. The concentration of the soil extracts with respect to 

 calcium and potassium was lowered as the season advanced. The water-soluble 



