SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 017 



Tlio injurious effort of sodium nilrnto ou soil stnioturo notod liy Krii,t;er 

 (E. S. K., 17, p. !»4;n is ascriix'd to tlic fact that tlic sodium earl)onalo formod 

 in the soil dissolves humus acids and interferes with the tlocculation of clay 

 particles. 



An exi)lannliiin of tiic ])hysical terms us(-d in the article is ^iven by P.. 

 'Pollens. 



On the nitrogen compounds in cultivated soils, T. I'feiffeu and I'. Kuken- 

 liEiUi (Mitt. [jDidir. hist. JircNiait, 3 {19()(!). \o. 5. pp. H!n)-f)21 : abs. in Chem. 

 Ccnthl.. lUiHi. J I. \o. .>l, pp. JG2-',. 1025; Chem. Zt;/.. SO ( U)(iC,), No. 03, Rrpnt. Xo. 

 Ji6, pp. Ji02). — Parallel determinations of nitrojren Iiy (lie two authors in ." dif- 

 ferent types of soil before and after drying with and without addition of acid are 

 reported and discussed with special reference to Warnibold's conclusions from 

 similar investijiations (E. S. li., 18, p. IG). 



The conclusion is reached that in soil studies involving the nitrogen balance a 

 large series of determinations is indisi»(>nsal)le and it is preferable to have parallel 

 series of determinatious by two skilled analysts. Soil samples may be dried with- 

 out loss of nitrogen when slightly acidified. The conclusion of AYarmliold that 

 sterilized soil fixes free nitrogen in considerable amounts was not confirmed. 



In many soils the weighing of samples for air-dried material is not considered 

 accurate. 



On the nitrogen compounds in cultivated soils, T. Pfeiffer {FUMing's 

 Lainhr. Ztr/.. '>'> (litiKt). Xo. 22. pp. 1 'i'.)~l')2). — This is an author's abstract of the 

 above article. 



Evaporation and drainage from fallow, loam, and sandy soils, C. von 

 Seeliiokst {./(iiir. Laiidir.. ij) (HKid), Xo. J,, pp. 313-31.')). — Oi)servations on 

 drainage and evaporation from loam and sandy soils in large veget.ition tanks 

 from October. i;»(i4. to March. ItHH), ai'e reported. These show, in general, that 

 the evaporation was largest and the drainage smallest from the loam soil during 

 the fall and winter. With s.-indy soils this was true in summer. 



The drainage was, as a rule, larger and the evaporation smaller from the 

 sandy soil than from the loam. Tlie greater evaporation from the loam soil is 

 attrilaited to lower i)ercolation and greater capillary capacity in this soil. 

 (Jreater c\a])oration from the -sandy soil was observed only during a i)eriod of 

 high temi)erature and heavy rainfall in summer. 



Nitro-culture and inoculation, (). M. Ball (Texas Stu. Bui. 83. pp. lo). — 

 Two series of jiot cultures carried out during the winter and spring of 190-1—5 

 and the fall of litO;") are rei)orted. 



" In the first series the object was to determine whether nodules will ap|iear on 

 the roots of alfalfa wJien this ])l;uit is grown in soils where none had ever before 

 i)een cidtivated. btit which produced a fine growth of bur clover (Mvdivano den- 

 ticulald). and, furtlier. whether the nodules already ])resent on the roots of bur 

 clover could be carried over to alfalfa when grown in soil that had ])reviously 

 been sterilized; in sJiurt. whether artificial inoculation of alfalfa with the germs 

 from bur clover is feasil)le. In the second series the ([uestion was to determine 

 the value, if any. of the so-called nitro-culture and other like 'cultures." " 



A variety of soils was used in the first series, and the method of procedure was 

 much the same in the two series of experiments. The first series showed in brief 

 that alfalfa will becon)e infected with the tubercle-forming organism (a) when 

 grown in soil which has produced a crop of bur clover, (h) after being watered 

 with a solution of such soil, and (r) by means of an infusion of the root nodules 

 of bur clover. The results of the second series of experiments indicate that 

 inoculation with nitro-culture is of doubtful value "since only a small proportion 

 of the plants treated developed tubercles, and these were in no observable 

 degree benefited by their presence. In no case of artificial inoculation were the 



