SOILS FERTILIZERS. 537 



iRigaschc Indus. Ztg., 1906, p. 20J,: ahs. in Clirm. Ztf/.. 30 (1006), No. SS, 

 Rcpcrt. A'o. J/l, I). 310). — The iiutlior reviews otlicr investigations on this sul)- 

 jec't and reports experiments during 1905 witli oats to test tlie fertilizing 

 value of lime nitrogen as compared with nitrate of soda. Tlie material was 

 applied 10 days hefore seeding and cultivated in to a dei)th of ?i to 5 in. The 

 lime uitrogen gave somewhat hotter results than nitrate of soda, hoth as 

 regards yield of grain and of straw. 



Preliminary experiments with a cyanamid compound as a nitrogenous 

 fertilizer, F. T. Shltt and II. W. ("ii.viu/roN (I'roc (ind 7'raiis. Roij. »s'oc. Canudu, 

 >. .ST/-., n (1905-6), Sec. Ill : Clirni. Xnrs. i).', (1906). Xo. .iJ,.',.',. pp. l.W-1.52).— 

 M\l)eriments to determine th<' effect of calcium and potassium cyanamido- 

 carhoxylate on the germination or vitality of seed wheat and peas, and the 

 rate at which these compounds are nitrified when present in the soil in various 

 l)roportions, are reported. 



The results in the first case led to the conclusion " that the presence of the 

 cyanamid compounds in amounts eciuivalent to 5 mg. or less of nitrogen per 

 100 gm. of soil would not prove injurious to the germination of seed. Toxic 

 effects were markedly noticeahle, however, with amounts between 10 and 20 

 mg. i)er 100 gm. soil, while still larger quantities proved fatal. The potas- 

 simn compound appears to he more injurious in its action on the life of the 

 seed and of the young plants than the calcium salt." 



In the second case the results indicate "that with the increase in the 

 amount of the cyanamid compound there is a concomitant decrease in the rate 

 of nitrification. This is probably due, as already indicated, to a toxic action 

 ui)on the nitrifying organisms by the cyanamid compound, which action would 

 naturally be increased the larger the application. On the other hand, it may 

 in i)art be due to denitrifying changes leading to the loss of nitrogen in the 

 free state. 



"The conversion of the nitrogen of the cyanamid into available forms is, 

 most probably, under fji.vorable conditions, continuous, though not uniformly 

 so. The first stage may be considered possil>ly as purely chemical, since 

 wafer at ordinary temperatures converts the nitrogen of cyanamid into am- 

 monia. The further changes being brought about through the agency of living 

 organisms are necessarily slower and will be regulated by many factors, 

 prominent among which, as we have observed, is the proportion of the 

 cyanan)id compound present in the soil." 



Fertilizer exi^eriments in 1905 with calcium cyanamid in comparison w^ith 

 other nitrogenous fertilizers and liquid manure, (J. C.\ruso (.1/// A'. Accad. 

 Ih-on. A(/r. Gcor(;. Fircnzc, 5. ."fcr., 3 (1906), \o. ,i. pp. 228-238). — Comparative 

 tests of calcium cyanamid, ammoiiium sulphate, sodium nitrate, and li(iuid 

 manure on corn and beans grown on coast lands which were well provided with 

 fertilizing constituents are rejjorted. Notwithstanding the fact that the soil 

 was in a good state of fertilit.v, all of the nitrogenous fertilizers produced an 

 increase in crop. The order of efliciency was calcium cyanamid, aunnonium sul- 

 phate, sodium nitrate, and liquid manure. The calcium cyanamid increased not 

 only the yield of grain, but also its weight per bushel. The high efficiency of 

 the calcium c,yanamid is attributed partly to the lime which it contains, supply- 

 ing a deficiency in the soil, and to the more lasting and uniform effect of the 

 nitrogen it contains. The calcium cyanamid used in these experiments fur- 

 nisli(>d nitrogen at one-fifth less cost than sodium nil rate. 



The decomposition of calcium cyanamid when used as a niedium for 

 bacteria, li. I'erotti (Arch. Furnuicol. ,Sper. e Sci. Aff., 5 (1906), No. 9, pp. 



