218 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



date or August 16. The best results both as regards grain and straw were 

 obtained on the manured and limed plats where the lime was applied on the 

 latter date. The lime applied at the time of manuring did not produce as good 

 results as manure alone, there being an average increase in grain over the yield 

 on the plats neither manured nor limed amounting to 270 kg. per hectare in the 

 latter case against 170 kg. in the former and 470 kg. in the case of the manured 

 plats that were limed August 16. The lime alone (applied August 16) did not 

 produce any beneficial effect, the jield obtained being even somewhat lower 

 than that of the control plats which were neither manured nor limed. The 

 results show plainly that lime will give best results on fallow ground when 

 applied late in the fall. — f. w. woll. 



The assimilation of mineral matter by different crops in vegetation ex- 

 periments with, calcareous manures carried on from 1896 to 1903, R. Ul- 

 KRiCHT {Landw. Vers. Stat., 63 (1906), Xo. 5-6, vp. 321-37^; al)s. in Jour. 

 Chem. Soc. [London~\, 90 (1906), No. 523, II, p. 304).— This article reports plat 

 and pot experiments with lime, marl, and limestone on potatoes, oats, corn, rye, 

 barley, rape, yellow lupine, vetch, red clover, and serradella in continuation of 

 those of previous years (E. S. R., 15, p. 860; 16, p. 32). The influence of the 

 different calcareous manures on the growth and plant food assimilation of the 

 crops is discussed in detail, especially in case of the leguminous crops. 



" Application of lime resulted in a slightly diminished assimilation of nitro- 

 gen and phosphoric acid in the case of lupines, vetches, and serradella, whilst 

 the potassium was increased in lupines and serradella, but not in vetches. The 

 magnesia in all three plants was considerably increased by manuring with cal- 

 cium and magnesium carbonates and was distinctly increased even by burnt 

 Carrara marble, which contains only small amounts of magnesium." 



Agricultural value of poultry manure, H. V. Hawkins (Year Book Agr. 

 ^'ictoria, 1905, pp. ^27, .'/2S). — Observations with Dorkings, averaging 8 lbs. each, 

 showed that the manure produced during the daytime amounted to 14 oz. per 

 bird, and during the nighttime 2 oz., or 46 lbs. per annum. The fertilizing value 

 of well-cared-for manure is discussed and the best means of preserving the 

 manure are explained. 



Artificial fertilizers, F. E. Lee {Year Boole Agr. Victoria, 1905, pp. 115-137, 

 figs. 12). — This is a general discussion of the subject, including explanations 

 regarding the need of fertilizers, the valuable constituents of fertilizers, the 

 fertilizers on the Victorian mai'ket during 1905, hints on mixing artificial fer- 

 tilizers, comparison of fertilizers with farmyard manure, the valuation of fer- 

 tilizers, and a summary of the fertilizer law of Victoria. 



Nitrogen from the air (J/arA; Lane Express, 94 (1906), No. 3897, p. 613).— 

 This is a brief note on an address by P. A. Guye before the Society of Chemical 

 Industry on the problem of the electx-o-chemieal fixation of nitrogen. Attention 

 is here called especially to the relative cost of nitrogen fixation by the calcium 

 cyanamid and the electro-chemical methods. It was estimated that the cost of 

 nitrogen fixed as calcium cyanamid will be about the same as that in the am- 

 moniacal salts and the nitrates of Chile. Under present conditions the electro- 

 chemical method is believed to be somewhat cheaper. 



On the spontaneous formation of dicyandiamid in fertilizers containing 

 calcium cyanamid, R. Perotti (Atti R. Acad. Lincei, Rend. CI. Sci. Fis., Mat. e 

 Nat., 5. ser., 15 (1906), I, No. 1, pp. 48-53; ahs. in Chem. Centbl, 1906, I, No. 

 17, p. 1467; Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 90 (1906), No. 523, II, p. 304).— The 

 author shows that when calcium cyanamid is exposed to moist air a portion of 

 the nitrogen escapes as ammonia and a part is transformed into dicyandiamid. 

 These changes are important because of the loss of nitrogen and also because 

 the fertilizing value of the dicyandiamid has not been definitely determined. 



