822 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Powdered granite as fertilizer (Amer. Pert., 2(1 (1907), No. 1. p. 9). — Recent 

 work ou this subject by tbis Department and earlier experiments by Maerl^er are 

 briefly discussed. 



Value of ant hills as a fertilizer, T. Church (Jour. Dept. Agr: West. 

 A list., Ui (1906), No. 5, pp. 392, 39.1). — Analyses are reported which show this 

 material to be of very fine texture, all passing a sieve with meshes 2 mm. in 

 diameter and of acid reaction. The phosphoric acid in the two samples exam- 

 ined was 0.02 and 0.0.3 per cent, respectively, potash 0.00 per cent in each case, 

 lime 0.1 and 0.07 per cent, respectively, and nitrogen 0.15 and 0.18 per cent, 

 respectively. Very small proportions of the phosphoric acid (0.008 and 0.005 per 

 cent) and potash (0.02 and 0.01 per cent) were available. Experiments with 

 the soil with different crops indicated that it was somewhat more fertile than 

 soil surrounding the ant hills. 



Origin, occurrence, and chemical composition of peat, W. E. McCourt 

 {8ci. Amer. Sup., 63 (1907), No. 1622, pp. 25991,, 25995).— In this article, 

 abstracted from the annual report of the State geologist of New Jersey, analyses 

 of peat of various kinds are compiled from different sources and the character- 

 istics of the different kinds of peat are described. 



The technology and uses of peat, C. W. Paemelee (Ann. Rpt. State Geol. 

 N. J., 1905, pp. 232-256; Scl. Amer. Sup., 63 (1907), Nos. 1626, pp. 2601,6, 2601,7; 

 1627, pp. 26062, 26063; 1628, pp. 26086, 26087 ) .—This is one of a series of articles 

 on this subject and deals especially with the uses of peat as fuel, in agricultiire 

 as a filler for fertilizers and as litter and in composts, for manufacture of textiles 

 as absorbent, non-conductor of heat and sound, as a preservative, etc. 



On the fertilizing value of the residue obtained from the retting of hemp, 

 G. A. Calabresi (Staz. Sper. Agr. Itah, 39 (1906), No. 6-7, pp. 618-622).— 

 Analyses with reference to fertilizing constituents are reported of 3 samples 

 of this material in the wet, air-dry. and dry (at 100° C. ) condition. In these 

 analyses the percentage of moisture varies from 49.3 to 54, of nitrogen from 0.23 

 to 0.55, of phosphoric acid from 0.17 to 0.24, and of potash from 0.26 to 0.35. 

 In the air-dried material the moisture varies from 10.2 to 14.1 per cent and the 

 percentages of the other constituents increase in proportion. 



Hoof meal (Amer. Pert., 26 (1907), No. 1, pp. 10, ii).— The methods em- 

 ployed by packers in preparing this material for use as a fertilizer are briefly 

 descril)ed. 



On manures and fertilizer trials, M. Weibull (Fyra Uppsatser i Vdxtkultvr. 

 Gothciihiirg, 1906, pp. 45-69). — This is one of four articles pulilished in the 

 pamphlet quoted on the occasion of the twentieth general Swedish agricultural 

 convention at Norrkoping in lOdO. 



The story of soils and plants in their relation to liming, H. J. Wheeler 

 (Ann. Rpt. Conn. Bd. Agr., 39 (1905), pp. 71,-103, figs. 15).— A rather complete 

 review of the more practical results of investigations relating to the use of 

 lime in agriculture. 



The need of liming for heavy marsh soils, Clausen (111 us. Landw. Ztg.. 27 

 (1907), No. 9, pp. 63, 6',). — This article briefly reports experiments which show 

 the beneficial effects on such soils of liming and marling. The comparative 

 economy of the two materials is discussed, but no definite conclusion is reached 

 on this ])oint. 



Use of different forms of lime (Jour. Bd. Agr. [Loitdoii], 13 (1907), No. 

 10, pp. 621-623). — Comparative tests by the agricultural department of the 

 Lancashire County Coimcil of coarse quicklime (cob lime), ground lime, and 

 ground limestone on meadow land are reported. The results in general indicate 

 that the more finely divided forms of lime are more immediately effective than 



