1028 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



by careful attention to thorough cultivation, aei'ation, addition of hunnis (car- 

 bon supply), and suitable phosphates. 



On some new nitrogen bacteria with autotrophic habits of life, II. I\.\seker 

 (Ztschr. Landw, Versuchsw. Osterr., 10 {1901), ^o. 1, p/). 37-Jf2). — A prelimi- 

 nary report on studies which have already been briefly noted (E. S. R.. 18, 

 p. 534). 



The author gives a number of chemical I'eactions which indicate that am- 

 monia may not only be oxidized to nitrite, but also directly to nitrate and to 

 elementary nitrogen. He has isolated and studied an organism to which he 

 gives the name Bacillus nitrator, which o.xidizes ammonia directly to nitrate 

 without the intermediate formation of nitrite. The most efRcient medium for 

 isolating this organism was found to be a solution containing 1/20,000 of for- 

 maldehyde in addition to the usual nutritive substance. He has also isolated 

 and described the action of an organism, for which he proposes the name 

 B. azotofliiorci^cens, which oxidizes ammonia, setting free elementary nitrogen 

 without the intermediate formation of either nitrite or nitrate. This organism 

 was easily isolated from culture solutions containing formaldehyde or sodium 

 formate. 



The author gives a chemical reaction to show the possibility of the oxidation 

 of elementary nitrogen, and expresses the opinion that very probably there is 

 an organism which can bring about such oxidation. The author's preliminary 

 experiments indicate that the conditions are more favorable for such oxidation 

 in heavy clay and calcareous soils than in light soils. 



Apparatus for the preparation of lime nitrogen and ammonium sulphate 

 by the processes of the Cyanid Company of Berlin (Osterr. Chcni. Zi<i.. !> 

 (1906), No. 2.1/, pp. 328-330, flgs. 4)- — The descriptions and illustrations given in 

 this article are taken from a report on nitrogen fixation and lime nitrogen by 

 G. Erhveiu. (See also E. S. R., 18, p. 010.) 



The changes and the decomposition products of lime nitrogen in soils, 

 H. Kappen {FiihUng's Larulic. Ztg., 56 (1907), No. .',, pp. 122-127). — The rate of 

 transformation into annnonia of lime nitrogen (at ordinary temperature, at 

 40° C, and in an atmosphere of carbon dioxid), pure calcium cyanamid, dicy- 

 anamid, and cyanamido carbonate of lime, in loam and sandy soils and in glass 

 sand was studied with a view especially to its bearing upon the injurious effects 

 of lime nitrogen when applied as a top-dressing. The transformation of lime 

 nitrogen at ordinary temperature and in an atmosphere of carbon dioxid was 

 very rapid and was practically complete at the end of 23 days in loam soil. In 

 no case was more than a very small percentage of the dicyanamid transformed. 

 The transformation of lime nitrogen at 40° C. was 94.28 per cent in loam, 18.75 

 in sandy soil, and only 2.81 per cent in glass sand. The other products showed 

 lower rates of transformation, but these were highest in the loam soil and lowest 

 in the glass sand. 



These experiments are a continuation of those liy Immendorff and the author 

 which indicated that the first poisonous effects observed when lime nitrogen 

 was applied as a top-dressing on acid soils are due to cyanamid, the later 

 effects to dicy;ni!>iiii*l- 



Experiments with lime nitrogen as a fertilizer, B. Schulze (FiiJillnff's 

 Landw. Ztg., 56 (1907). No. 5. pp. lJi5-159). — Series of pot experiments are 

 reported (1) with barley, oats, mustard, spurry, buckwheat, and carrots to 

 determine the relative efficiency of lime nitrogen, nitrate of soda, and sulphate 

 of ammonia on these crops under different cultural conditions ; (2) to determine 

 whether the full efficiency of lime nitrogen is obtained by winter applications ; 

 (3) with oats followed by mustai'd to determine the influence of the depth of 



