318 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



cation and washing nitrates from the soil. The loss of potash and phosphoric 

 acid from this cause is inconsideralile. 



The erosion of soil, or washing away of our farms, S. W. Wakfield (Bicii. 

 Rpt. Tciin. Dept. Agr., 1903-.'i. pp. llo-lZO). — A brief discussion of this subject, 

 showing its great importance to the farmers in middle and east Tennessee. 



Preservation and improvement of soils, R. Gallagher {Bleu. Rpt. Tenn. 

 Dcpt. A(jr., I'JOS-'i. pp. 120-12-'i). — A brief general discussion of this subject, 

 including a description of a system of cultivation and rotation which the author 

 has found effective in restoring the humus content of the soil and bringing 

 back " unproductive and unsightly fields from barrenness to the production of 

 paying crops." The rotation proposed is peas (for hay), rye, peas, wheat, 

 fallow with manure, corn, wheat, clover. 



Soil moisture, G. Burns (Yearhook Ehediv. Agr. Soc, Cairo, 1905, pp. 265- 

 272). — A general discussion of this subject with special reference to Egyptian 

 conditions is given and experiments to test the effect of surface cultivation to 

 conserve soil moisture are reported. Surface cultivation in general reduced 

 the loss of water, but shallow cultivation (hoeing) proved better than deep 

 cultivation during the hot summer months. 



The moisture conditions of a loam soil under various crops, C. von Seel- 

 HORST (Juiir. Lamlw., 54 (1906), No. 2, pp. 1S7-206. pis. 3; ah.s. in. Chei)i. Ztg.. 

 30 {1906), No. 62, Repert. No. 25, p. 253). — Data for yields and moisture c(m- 

 tent of soils in case of field experiments during 3 years with potatoes, wheat, 

 rye, oats, beets, peas, and clover are reported and discussed. It was observed 

 that rye exhausted the soil moisture less than wheat. The exhaustion was 

 especially marked in case of clover and oats and was very small in case 

 of potatoes and peas. The application of the results in deciding upon the 

 best rotation to conserve soil moisture is indicated. 



Investigations of the liygroscopicity of sorae typical Swedish - soils, G. 

 Nannes {K. Landthr. Akad. Haiidl. och Tid.^kr.. hh (1905), No. 6, pp. 382- 

 886). — Determinations of the hygroscopicity of soils were made by drying 

 5 gm. of the air-di'y sample for 5 to 6 days over 10 per cent sulphuric acid 

 in a desiccator in partial vacuum at ordinary room temperature. The weight 

 being constant after this period the residual water was determined in the 

 humus soils according to Arntz's method by drying in a dry current of air 

 at 105° C, and in the other kinds of soil, in a drying oven at the temperatures 

 for the respective soil types given by Rodewald and Mitscherlich. The 

 results of the investigations of soils in Skaraborg County, Sweden, made by 

 the author indicate that the hygroscopicity per cent of sandy, sandy loam, 

 and peat soils ought not to be less than half the amount of organic substance 

 which they contain, while that of clay soils ought not to go appreciably 

 below the content of organic substance, and should be higher, the more 

 fertile the soil is. — r. w. woll. 



Measurements of soil temperatures at Norwegian stations, 1903-4, G. 

 HoLTSMARK and A. K. Andersen (Norges Laiidhi: Jloiskolcs Skr., 1905, No. 8, 

 pp. 22). — This is a continuation of previous observations, with average data for 

 Aas station for 189G-1904, and for the stations at Jousberg, Rotvold, Bodo, and 

 Stend for the period 1900-1904. The following avei'age annual figures will 

 prove of interest. The latitude, longitude east of Greenwich, and altitude of the 

 different stations are as follows: Jonsberg, G0° 45', 11° 12', 200 meters; 

 Rotvold, G3° 26', 10° 29', 24 meters; Bodo, 67° 16', 14° 26', 15 meters; Stend, 

 60° 16', 5° 20', 48 meters. 



