418 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



The natural solution of the nitrogen question by soil inoculation, J. 

 Stoklasa {Osterr. Chcm. Ztg., 12 {1909), No. 10, pp. J2S-i30).— Experiments 

 are reported which indicate that inoculation of the soil with free living micro- 

 organisms which fix the nitrogen of the air may be made of practical value in 

 increasing the yield of such crops as oats, beets, and potatoes. 



The importance of nitrogen fixation in cultivated soil, F. Lohnis {Fiih- 

 Img's Landw. Ztg., 58 (1909), No. 12, pp. 425-J,37, dgm. i).— This article at- 

 tempts to show that the nitrogen fixed in the soil as a result of the activity of 

 micro-organisms may be suflicienly large in the course of a year (about 35.7 

 lbs. j)er acre) to be of considerable practical importance. 



Denitrification: The efEect of fresh and well-rotted manure on plant 

 growth, M. Ferguson and E. B. Fred {Virginia Hta. Rpt. 1908, pp. 134-1-^9, 

 ^■f;,s;. 7). — The work of other investigators on denitrification is reviewed and 

 culture and i)ot experiments by the authors for the purpose of isolating and 

 studying some of the denitrifying organisms most frequently found in fresh 

 manure and determining the effect of their activity upon the growth of various 

 crops are reported. The results are summarized as follows : 



"(1) Bacillus denitriflcans on liquid media will set free virtually all of the 

 nitrates. Bacterium fluorescens, B. putidum, and many other organisms reduce 

 nitrates to nitrites and ammonia. 



"(2) The results of pot experiments show that the presence of denitrifying 

 organisms will decrease the plant growth. 



"(3) The applications of sodium nitrate with fresh manure not only causes a 

 loss of the applied nitrate, but it may go on still further destroying other 

 nitrates that may be present iu the soil. 



"(4) The number of bacteria per gram was much greater iu the pots showing 

 the largest decrease in yield. 



"(5) Denitrification is not so common in clay soils as in open loams. 

 "(6) It is possible to add such a large quantity of nitrate of soda that the 

 denitrifying bacteria are unable to reduce the nitrate fast enough to cause a 

 very marked difference in growth of first crop. 



"(7) Comparisons between fresh and well-rotted manure show a very marked 

 increase in favor of well-rotted manure. 



"(8) Denitrifying cultures applied to the pots show almost the same harmful 

 effects as large applications of fresh manure. 



"(9) New straw has a slight harmful effect, but not so marked as fresh 

 manure. 



"(10) To obtain the best results manure should not be applied until well 

 rotted, but if used when fresh it should be applied some time before planting 

 the crop." 



Experiments on the action of stable manure and lime on upland moor soils, 

 W. P.ERSCH {Ztschr. MoorkuUur u. Torfvcrivcrt., 7 {1909). No. 2, pp. 8I-9S).— 

 The results of a series of experiments with potatoes here reported show that 

 on virgin moor soils during a wet season commercial fertilizers gave better 

 results than manure and that under such conditions the addition of phosphoric 

 acid, potash, and nitrates to the manure increased the yield over that pro- 

 duced by manure alone. Small applications of lime produced a slight increase 

 in yield, while applications of about 1,785 lbs. per acre were without effect. 



Industries of the lime nitrogen and allied processes, N. Caro {Ztschr. 

 Angew. Chem., 22 {1909), No. 24, pp. 1178-1182; Chcm. Trade Jour., 1,1, {1909), 

 Nos. 1152, pp. 621, 622; 1153, p. 641).— This is a paper read at the International 

 Congress of Apjilied Chemistry at London, giving the present status of these 

 industries. 



