SOILS FERTILIZERS. 429 



nutrient solutions, with .lud witliout addition of glucose and citric a<-id inocu- 

 lated with soils of dilTcicnl kinds, csiu'ciall.v those used in suj;ui'-l>eet culture. 



The couelusion is reached as in ]H( \ idus investigations that the organic mat- 

 ter occurring in such st)lutions as those exjieriniented with does not furnish a 

 readily availahle source of carbon for the respiration ]»rocesses of denitrify- 

 ing organisms and consequently nitric acid is not reduced to an appreciable ex- 

 tent in such soils. The authors are of the opinitm that the decomposition i)rod- 

 ucts of the carbohydrates under 'the influence of micro-organisms are lactic 

 acid, alc(thol. and carbon dioxid. the decomposition of nitric acid in presence of 

 alcohol taking place according to the following formula : C.IIoO +2X263= 2COo-f- 

 4X4-:!IT,0. 



Investigations on anaerobic nitrogen-collecting' bacteria, E. Haselhoff 

 and G. Bkedemann (Landic. Jahrb., S') {1006), A'o. 3, pp. 381-414, fiff- 1 ; «?>«• 

 in Chem. ZUj., 30 (1906). Xo. 57, Repert. No. 21, p. 223; Jour. Chem. Soc. [Lon- 

 iloii], 90 (1906), No. 528, 11. p. 698).— Tho authors report studies of (1) the 

 occurrence and distribution of ameroliic Itacteria similar to Winogradski's 

 Clostridium pastewrianHiii in soils and on the leaves of various cultivated 

 plants: (2) the capacity of these organisms to fix free nitrogen; and (3) the 

 characteristics of the organisms as compared with C. pasteuriunutn. 



The Clostridium forms of organisms were found to be widely distributed in 

 soils and on the leaves of forest trees; in fact they were found in all of the 

 samples examined. Pure cultures were isolated from cultivated soils. Roth 

 mixed and pure cultures of the organisms showed rates of assimilation of 

 nitrogen similar to those observed by Wiuogradski with C. pasteurianum. 



Calculated to 1 gm. of dextrose or mannite the amount of nitrogen fixed 

 was according to -Winogradski (C. pasteurianum) 2 to 3 mg., according to 

 Reijerinck ( Azotobacter. mixed culture) as high as 6.93 mg., Yogel (Azotobac- 

 ter in mannite solution) 8.52 mg., Gerlach and Yogel (Azotobacter, pure cul- 

 ture) 8.9 mg.. Haselhoff and Bredemann (mixed and pure cultures) 0.42 to 

 2.74 mg. 



A morphological description is given of the isolated organisms and experi- 

 ments which have been undertaken to determine the agricultural conditions 

 best suited to the activity of the organisms are referred to. The methods used 

 in obtaining the Clostridium cultures are fully described. 



Formation of crystals in cultures of denitrifying bacteria, H. B. Hutchin- 

 son (CenthJ. Bakt. \ctc.\. .L Ahl.. ir, (1906). Xo. 10-13, pp. 326-328; abs. in 

 Jour. Chem. Hoc. [London], 90 (1906), Xo. 525, II, p. 411 ; Chem. Ccnthl., 1906, 

 If. Xo. 7, p. 621). — "Cultures of l)acteria from garden soil in Giltay solutions 

 produced skins consisting of acicular crystals of magnesium phosphate and 

 became strongly alkaline. Denitrification was not vigorous. The alkalinity, 

 which is presumably due to production of sodium carbonate from the citric 

 acid, became ecjual to that of a tenth-normal solution in four weeks. The 

 alkalinity and the amount of crystals seem to increase with increased surface 

 and aeration." 



The new nitrogenous fertilizers, J. Sebelien (Tidsskr. Xorske Landbr., IS 

 (1906), Xo. 2. pp. 49-81). — The article contains a summary of recent fertilizer 

 trials with calcium cyauamid and lime niter in comparison with nitrate of soda 

 and annnonium sulphate, and also reports on similar experiments conducted Ity 

 the author and P.. P. Larsen at Aas Agricultural College. The fertilizing 

 effect of lime niter and nitrate of soda was found to be apju-oximately the 

 same, the small variations ol)served being attributal)le to differences in the 

 character of the soils experimented with. 



Pot experiments were made with oats (»n sandy .soil, with oats and barley 



