918 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



accompanied by a gradual breaking ui) into carbon dioxid and hydrogen or into 

 carbon dioxid and water, the liydrogen produced exerting a very important 

 reducing action. 



Chlorates are reduced to chlorids, arsenates to arsenites, :;nd lerricyanids to 

 ferrocyanids in the same manner as nitrates are reduced to nitrites, the reduc- 

 tion being a result of the oxygen re(iuirement of the denitrifying organisms. 



Xylan and araban, the most abundant and widely distributed carbohydrate 

 materials in soils and manures, yield on hydrolysis xylose and arabinose, which 

 are very poor sources of carbon and energy for denitrifying organisms. It was 

 found, however, that the typical denitrifying < rganism, B. harth'hi, assimilated 

 33.G per cent of the total nitrate nitrogen in a nutrient solution containing 

 arabinose and converted it into albuminoid compounds. Since obviously soils 

 do not contain the easily assimilable carbohydrates in any such proportions as 

 they are found in nutrient solutions, the denitrilication process will not be so 

 intense in soils as is indicated by laboratory experiments. In fact, in the 

 author's opinion, denitrification plays an entirely secondary role in the soil to 

 nitrification and ammonization. 



The action of fresh, green manuring plants (mixture of peas, beans, and 

 vetches) and beet tops in comparison with nitrate of soda, W. Schneide- 

 wiND, D. Meyer, and H. Frese {Laiidir. .Jnhrh.. 35 (1906), No. 6, pp. 923-926).— 

 The fertilizing value of nitrogen in a green manure mixture (peas, beans, and 

 vetches), in beet leaves, and in nitrate of soda was compared on oats followed 

 by nuistard in pot exijeriments with two different soils. 



Taking the effect of the nitrate of soda in increasing the yield as 100. the effect 

 of the other forms of nitrogen were green manure 39.3 and beet leaves 36.5. 

 The relative utilization of the nitrogen by the oat crop and the following mustard 

 crop was as follows : Nitrate of soda 100, green manure 52.5, and beet leaves 43. 



Fish fertilizers, A. Cligny {Aim. »SV-/. Agroii.. 3. .sc/'., 1 (1906). I, A'o. 2, pp. 

 166-187). — This article summarizes information on this subject from a variety 

 of sources, giving statistics of the industry in France and other countries, and 

 discussing the fish fertilizers under two heads, fertilizers poor in phosphates, 

 especially those made in America from the menhaden, and fertilizers rich in 

 phosphates, especially those made in Norway. 



Can the lactic-acid bacteria exert a preservative influence on barnyard 

 manure? C. Barthel (Dnit. Laiidir. /'/r.s-.sc, .i3 (19ii6), Ao.s'. 2.7, pp. 212. 213; 

 3J,, p. 292; al)H. in Ceiitbl. Balct. [c<e.], 2. AU.. 11 (1906). No. 17-18. p. 567).— 

 The author reports experiments which show that by adding milk or other lactose- 

 containing substances to manure a vigorous lactic-acid fermentation is set up, 

 with consequent fixing and prevention of loss of ammonia. 



A manure platform, M. Ringelmann (Jour. A<ir. Prat., ii. ser., 13 (1907). 

 No. 1, pp. 12-15, figs. 5). — Different kinds of manure platforms, with or without 

 shelter, sprinkling devices, etc., in use in France are described. 



Report on the operations of the Brunswick sewage farm during 1895 to 

 1900, II. Beckurts and K. Blasius (Ztsehv. II mi. ii. Iiifcldioiiskraiih:, 55 

 (1906), No. 2, pp. 232-29Ji, map 1). — Numerous analyses of the sewage water 

 used, of the drainage water flowing away from the fields, and of the water of 

 springs in the vicinity of the fields are reported, and the cultural management 

 and financial returns of the farm are discussed. 



The results show in general that the method of sewage irrigation was in this 

 case an efficient method of inirificatiou without offense or injury to health of 

 people living near the fields. The effluents from the fields were not found in any 

 case to pollute springs of neighboring towns or of the Oker River, into which 

 they were discharged. The agricultural products from the fields, especially the 

 vegetables, were of good quality. The yield of grains was somewhat below the 



