SOILS FERTILIZERS. 517 



Fertilizers, fungicides, and insecticides, C. Pluvinage (Industrie et Com- 

 merce des Engrais et des Anticryptogamiques et Insecticides. Paris, 1912, 

 pp. XII-{-543, figs. 269). — This is one of the volumes of the EncyclopMie Agricole 

 published under the direction of U. Wery. It deals quite fully with the sources, 

 uuture, production, numufacture, and consumption of the principal fertilizing 

 materials, namely, sodium and other nitrates, ammonium sulphate, synthetic 

 nitrogenous compounds, phosphates, and potash salts. It also discusses the 

 nature and use as fertilizer of garbage, poudrette, oil cakes, dried blood, tank- 

 age, horn, leather, and wool refuse, guanos, so-called humic fertilizers, and 

 mixed fertilizers. Under the head of fungicides and insecticides sections are 

 devoted to copper and iron sulphates, sulphur, carbon disulphid, and sulpho- 

 cy a nates. 



The sections relating to sodium nitrate, auuuouium sulphate, and the phos- 

 l)hates are especially complete. 



A short bibliograi)hy is given but no index, a detailed table of contents taking 

 the place of the latter. 



Chemical fertilizers in the Canary Islands, II. Bbett (Daily Cons, and 

 Trade Ix'i>-ts\ [U. S.], 17 (19 IJ,), Xo. 96. pp. y/.'/.M-'/5).— Statistics of consumption 

 of fertilizers in these islands during the years 1930-1912, inclusive, are briefly 

 summarized. 



In 1912 the fertilizer inii)orts amounted to 14.177 metric tons, over one-half 

 coming from England. 



Identification of commercial fertilizer materials, W. II. Fry (U. 8. Dept. 

 Agr. Bui. 97 (191/f), pp. IS). — The methods and equipment required for the 

 microscopic identification of the principal fertilizing materials are described 

 and optical constants for the materials are given. It is stated that the methods 

 described are those of the simplest and most accessible nature and that with 

 their aid and a little practice anyone should soon be able to determine many of 

 the materials ordinarily used in the manufacture of fertilizers. 



Experiments in fertilizing with stable manure, A. von Liebenberg (Wiener 



Landw. Ztg., 6Jf (19 U), No. 13-14, PP- 120-122) .—The results of a large number 



of experiments are summarized in this article, a conclusion of general interest 



being that it is profitable in many cases to use comparatively small applications 



-of .manure. 



Guano and national agriculture, J. A. de Lavalle y Garcia (El Guano y 

 la AgricuUura Xacional. [Lima, 1913], pp. 111). — This is a series of papers 

 dealing with the guano deposits of Peru and their relation to the national wel- 

 fare, including also information regarding the extent, exploitation, and pro- 

 tection of these deposits. 



Peruvian output of guano (Daily Cons, and Trade Bpts. [U. S.], 17 (1914), 

 No. 175, p. 559). — It is stated that the output of high-grade guano by the com- 

 pany administering the guano deposits of Peru was 31.486 tons in 1913-14 as 

 compared with 24,350 tons the previous year. The corresponding outputs of 

 low-grade guano containing less than 3 per cent nitrogen were 7,301 and 12,242 

 tons. 



The seaweed industry of France, J. B. Osborne (Daily Cons, and Trade 

 Rpts. [U. S.], 17 (1914), No. 152, pp. 1988-1990) .—The use of seaweed as fer- 

 tilizer, which is stated to be quite general all along the French coast, is 

 discussed. 



New sources of nitrogen, D. A. Gilchrist (County Northiimb. Ed. Com. Bui. 

 21 (1914), PP- 89, 90). — Comparative tests of sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, 

 calcium cyanamid, and ammonium siUphate at Cockle Park during several years 

 are reported, but no conclusions are drawn from the data reported except that 



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