716 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



that soils shown by chemical analysis to contain considerable percentages of 

 ])Otash often respond profitably to potash fertilizing. 



Changes produced in soils by subjecting' them to steam under pressure, 

 T. L. Lyon and J. A. Bizzell {Abs. in Jour. Soc. Chem. Indus., 28 {1909), No. 

 13, p. 72i).— This is an abstract of a paper presented before the International 

 Congress of Applied Chemistry at London. 



"The soils, clay loam, sandy loam, and silt loam were heated in an autoclave 

 under two atmospheres" pressure for 2 or 4 hours. Steaming increased the 

 water-soluble organic and ammonia nitrogen, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrites, 

 and total soluble matter, the latter consisting largely of organic matter. The 

 nitrates, however, were decreased by the treatment. On standing 56. 82, or 90 

 days there were decreases in the soluble matter, soluble and ammonia nitrogen, 

 and nitrites, while the nitrates remained practically constant. 



" Wheat grown in the steamed soils appeared at first to be injured by the 

 treatment, but subsequently recovered, and at the end of the experiment was 

 much superior to that grown in the unheated soils. The sandy loam was first 

 to recover, the clay next, and the silt last. The injury seemed to be mitigated 

 somewhat when the steamed soil was inoculated by an infusion of the fresh 

 soil. Plants grown in extract made from steamed soil gave poor growth. In- 

 jurious substances seemed to be produced during the steaming process. In the 

 uusteamed soils there was a loss of total soluble matter where crops were grown, 

 but in the steamed soils the reverse was true." 



The changes in the nitrogen in soil, W. Krueger {Ein Beit rag zur TJnter- 

 suchung tier Stickstoffumsetzungen in Boden. Inatig. Diss. Konigsberg, 1908, 

 pp. 58; rev. in CentW. Bakt. [etc.], 2. Abt., 23 {1909), No. 6-9, p. 236; Chem. 

 Abs., S {1909), No. 18, p. 2^.92).— Studies of the effect of lime, calcium carbo- 

 nate, and aeration on the nitrifying, denitrifying, and nitrogen-collecting power 

 of soils and on the decomposition of nitrogenous organic matter are reported. 



There was a slight increase of nitrogen in the plats receiving lime, and in 

 the case of humus and clay soils the use of fertilizers was accompanied by an 

 increase in nitrogen. There was found to be a certain parallelism between 

 nitrogen assimilation in nutrient solutions and in the soil. Calcium carbonate 

 was more effective in promoting nitrification than lime, but' lime favored the 

 activity of putrefactive bacteria. The formation of ammonia from peptone was 

 especially favoi'ed by calcium carbonate. Aeration increased the assimilation 

 of peptone but decreased denitrification. 



The influence of carbon bisulphid on nitrogen transformations in the soil, 

 R. ScHERPE {Arb. K. Biol. Anst. Land ti. Forstic, 7 {1909), No. 3, pp. 353- 

 428). — The investigations reported in this paper dealt with the action of carbon 

 bisulphid in rendering the nitrogen of the soil more available and its effect on 

 the nitrification process in soils. 



The results of series of pot and field experiments indicate that the beneficial 

 effect of the application of carbon bisulphid to soils is due to its action in ren- 

 dering plant food available in the soil. The effect of the bisulphid upon nitrifi- 

 cation was somewhat variable, but there was generally a reduction of nitrifica- 

 tion activity. Various theories which have been advanced to explain the action 

 of bisulphid on nitrification are briefly discussed. 



New facts about bacteria of California soils, C. B. Lipman {Science, n. ser., 

 29 {1909), No. 754, PP- 'J'fl, 9J,2;abs. in Chem. Abs., 3 {1909), No. 18, p. 2192).— 

 The author's investigations indicate that the transformation of ammonia com- 

 pounds into nitrites occurs in the soil at depths of from Si to 12 ft. The 

 formation of nitrate was not observed below 2 ft. A soil which had been kept 

 for 31 years in a tightly stoppered bottle was found to contain at least one 



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