824 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



duced moderate increase with oats and clover and vvitli tobacco f llov/ing clover. 

 Used witli phosphorus on clover there was a decided increase over the pot 

 where phosphorus alone was tried." 



Protocol of the sixty-eighth session of the Central Moor Commission 

 (Protokoll dcr 68, 8it:sung dcr CentraJ-lloor-CommiHsUm. Berlin, 1912, pp. .258, 

 pis. 2, fig. 1). — This is a detailed report of the proceedings of this commis- 

 sion at its session from P'ebruary 29 to March 2, 1912. Reports are given 

 as to the progress made by the various local associations in the colonization of 

 these lands and in the production of different crops and methods of cultivation 

 and fertilization. A report of the work of the moor experiment station, con- 

 sisting principally of studies in crop adaptation and methods of cultivation 

 and fertiliztition of the soils, is included. 



Report of the chemist, P. L. Gile {Porto Rico Sta. Rpt. 1911, pp. 15-23). — 

 This is a brief report of progress in the examination of bat guanos (see p. 825), 

 study of the effect of the lime-magnesia ratio in plant growth, effect of calca- 

 reous soils on the composition and health of plants, and the treatment of 

 " sick " red clay soils. 



The atmosphere as a raw material in fertilizer production (Manfrs. Rev., 

 62 {1912), No. 11, pp. //8, //9).— This article refers to the installation of a plant 

 for the manufacture of calcium nitrate from the nitrogen of the air at Nitrolee, 

 S. C, and to a proposed plant for the same purpose in Alabama. It also dis- 

 cusses briefly the present status of the manufacture of nitrogen compounds 

 from the air. 



Supposed loss of nitrogen in calcium cyanamid (nitrolime), G. Liberi 

 {Ann. R. Btaz. Chim. Agr. Sper. Roma, 2. ser., 5 {1911), pp. 163-177; aJ)S. in 

 Jour. Soc. Chem. Indus., 81 {1912), No. 18, p. S90).— Exposure for 50 days to 

 severe and constantly changing atmospheric conditions resulted in a loss of only 

 about 3 per cent of the total nitrogen of the cyanamid. 



Instability of the cyanamid nitrogen in calcium cyanamid (nitrolime), 

 G. Liberi {Atui. R. Staz. Chim. Agr. Sper. Ronm, 2. ser., 5 {1911), pp. 179-197, 

 figs. 2; aU. in Jour. Hoc. Chem.. Indus., 31 {1912), No. 18, pp. 890, 891).— Loss 

 of nitrogen from crude calcium cyanamid was greatest in damp air and but slight 

 in dry air. The nitrogen of the cyanamid completely disappeared in 1 and 5 

 per cent solutions, rapidly at first, more slowly afterwards. The loss was more 

 rapid in the stronger solution. The dicyandiamid nitrogen increased rapidly 

 at first and then gradually declined. No ammonium compounds were found in 

 either solution. 



A new artificial manure {Qurcnslond Agr. Jour., 29 {1912), No. /,, pp. 315, 

 316). — Brief reference is here made to a British consular report from Chris- 

 tiania, Norway, calling attention to a by-product of the manufacture of nitrate of 

 lime at Notoddeu, Norway, known as biphosplyite and containing 26 per cent 

 of phosphoric acid, 92 per cent of which is citrate-soluble, and 23.8 per cent of 

 nitrate of lime. 



The principal catalytic fertilizers, E. JNIi^ge {Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., 2''f 

 {1012), No. 32, pp. 171-173). — A brief resume is given of results of experiments 

 by various investigators on the fertilizing effect of compounds of manganese, 

 boron, aluminum, zinc, uranium, copper, lithium, bromin, fluorin, and iodin. 

 The author concludes that the results obtained in experiments with these com- 

 pounds emphasize the insufliciency of our knowledge of the physiology and 

 chemistry of plants and indicate enormous possibilities in the way of extending 

 and improving methods of fertilizing the soil. 



[The toleration of coffee and of cacao plants for sodium chlorid], J. 

 KuurER (Dept. Landh. Suriuame Versing, 1911, pp. 11, 12). — In view of the 

 fact that the water available for sprinkling and also for irrigation purposes 



