726 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Istry of the phosphates of certain of the Pacific islands, esijecially Nauru and 

 Paanapa but also of Angaur and Makatea of the Palau and Tuamotu groups. 

 These are all islands of upheaval and the phosphate is more or less advanced in 

 chemical and pressure changes. A chapter is also given on the following guano 

 islands of recent formation: Baker, Howland, Phoenix group, Sydney, Maiden, 

 Starbuck, Christmas, Fanning, Flint, Jarvis, Browse, Lacep&de, Laysan, Com- 

 wallis, and Clipi^ertou. 



German potash supply (Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. [V. &.], 17 (1914), No. 

 208, p. 1261). — The imports of potash salts into the United States during the 

 fiscal year ended June 30. 1914, are stated to have been as follows: Kainit 

 541,846 tons, manure salts 261.342, muriate of potash 237.916, and sulphate of 

 potash 45,139, the total being 1,086,243 tons valued at $15,160,123, as compared 

 with 882,562 tons valued at $12,4S4.576 in 1913. 



It is stated that the only outlet for German potash during the European war 

 is through the Netherlands, which on August 31 temporarily lifted the embargo 

 on the exportation of potash. 



The deep boring at Spur, J. A. Udden (Bui. Univ. Tex., No. 363 (191Jf), pp. 

 109, pis. 16, figs. 18). — The agricultural interest in this boring centers about the 

 fact that analyses of water obtained at different depths indicate the presence of 

 a potash-bearing stratum somewhere near 2,200 ft. below the surface. A sam- 

 ple of the water obtained at about this depth contained 324.1 gr. per gallon of 

 potassium chlorid. 



Experiments on the effect of liming agricultural soils, A. Botto and D. N. 

 GuGLiELJiETTi (Rev. Faciilt. Afjron. y Yet. La Plata, 2. ser., 10 (191Jt), No. 3, 

 pp. 85-12-'f). — It is demonstrated that the effects of liming on soils of Argentina 

 which are poor in lime are to correct physical defects, to increase chemical de- 

 composition, to favor the activity of soil organisms, to render plant food, par- 

 ticularly phosphoric acid, more soluble, and to further indirectly the assimila- 

 tion of j)lant food by crops such as alfalfa. 



The lime requirements of moor and similar soils which are poor in lime, 

 B. Tacke (Jahrb. Moork., 2 (1913), pp. 1-22). — The author reviews and dis- 

 cusses the results of a number of experiments by himself and others showing 

 l»articularly the unfavorable effects of excessive limiug on moor and similar 

 soils under different conditions. He points out that uplaud moor soils growing 

 hay and root crops need, and are able to endure, a much smaller quantity of 

 lime than meadow and pasture soils, the quantity required depending on the 

 condition of decomposition and acidity of the moor soil and the crop to be 

 grown. For north German conditions it it considered inadvisable to apply lime 

 in excess of 1,780 lbs. per acre to soil growing hay and root crops, while on 

 meadows and pastures at least twice that amount is necessary. 



The effectiveness of lime fertilizers when applied to acid soil is said to de- 

 pend largely on its degree of fineness. 



It is further concluded that on sand and moor soils, poor in lime, the effect 

 of liming is usually very lasting, and that liming should be repeated only when 

 the necessity for it is indicated by comparative tests. 



The production of lime in 1913, R. W. Stone (V. S. Geol. Survey, Mineral 

 Resoiirees of the United States Calendar Year 1913, pt. 2, pp. 309-324) .—" The 

 lime manufactured in the United States in 1913 amounted to 3,595,390 short 

 tons, valued at $14,648,362. This was an increase of 65,928 tons, or 1.87 per 

 cent, in quantity and of $678,248, or 4.85 per cent, in value, when compared 

 with the output for 1912, which was 3,529,462 short tons, valued at $13,970,114. 

 The production in 1913 was the largest in the history of the iudustiT, both in 

 the quautity manufactured and iu the value of the output. . . . The total 



