18 EXPEETMENT STATION RECORD. 



Commercial cultures of Pseudomonas radicicola, H. A. Harding and M. J. 

 Pkucha (Ah):;, in Science, n. ser., 25 {1007} , No. 6.'fl, p. 818). — This is an abstract 

 of a paper presented at the eighth annual meeting of the Society of American 

 Bacteriologists, giving results of further tests by the New York State and other 

 stations of commercial cultures of this organism dried on cotton, which have 

 generally given unsatisfactory results. The use of metal containers to preserve 

 the vitality of the cnltures has been found ineffective. 



On changes in a light sandy soil by sterilization, A. Koch and G. LtJKEN 

 (Jour. Ldiidir.. 55 (19(11). No. 1, pi). 161-172). — Observing that oats made much 

 better growth on a sandy soil which had been sterilized than on one which had 

 not been so treated, the authors made a study of the soil to determine the cause 

 of the increased productiveness of the sterilized soil. It was found that the 

 sterilized soil contained much more water-soluble organic matter and nitrogen 

 than the unsterilized soil, while hydrochloric acid of 1.026 specific gravity dis- 

 solved 10 per cent of the total nitrogen of the sterilized soil as against 5 per 

 cent of that of the unsterilized soil. 



The authors, like other investigators, observed an injurious effect during the 

 early periods of growth on the sterilized soil. These effects were observed 

 first in zinc pots, but. were afterwards noted in case of clay pots, especially 

 when experiments were started in the spring. ' When the planting was done in 

 early summer the higher temperatures apparently overcame any such injurious 

 effects. The addition of calcium cai-bonate did not prevent injurious effects. 



On new principles in soil studies, II. R. Christknsen (Ti(ls.^I,r. Landbr. 



Plantearl, 13 (lOOd), pp. 1^5-1!)8).—X lecture delivered in the Royal Danish 



■ Agricultural Society, March 28, 1900, containing also a report on investigations 



on the occurrence and distribution of Azohucter chroococciun in Danish soils. — 



V. W. WOLL. 



Movements of certain bacteria in soils, K. F. Kellerman and Edna H. 

 Fawcett (Abs. in >Science, ii. ser.. 25 (1907). No. 6Jf7. p. 806). — The following 

 abstract is given of a paper presented at the eighth annual meeting of the 

 Society of American Bacteriologists : 



" Two organisms have been studied in connection with Pseudonieynas radi- 

 cicola, Bacillus ochraceous and a form resembling Bacillus crjli. The latter kills 

 Pseudomonas radicicola when in synthetic nitrogen-poor sugar liouillon, but not 

 in soil extracts of favorable soils; Bacillus ochraceus has little effect upon 

 Pseudomonas radicicola under either condition. 



" In sterilized favorable soils saturated with water Bacillus ochraceus, 

 Pseudomonas radicicola, and the paracolon organism grow with almost equal 

 speed, progressing about 1 inch in 48 hours. In soils barely moist Pseudomonas 

 radicicola progresses at the rate of about 1 inch in 72 hours, while the two other 

 forms are reduced to a rate of about 1 inch in 8 days. These experiments were 

 all conducted at a temperature of 2.5° C. At a temperature of 10° C the rate of 

 Pseudomonas radicicola was reduced to 1 inch in 3 days in saturated soil ; the 

 two other organisms had made practically no growth at the end of .30 days. 



" Under none of the conditions of these experiments did there seem to be any 

 antagonism in the soil between Pseudomonas radicicola and Bacillus ochraceus 

 or the paracolon organism." 



The electro-chemical and electro-metallurgical industries in 1906, J. B. C. 

 Kershaw (Sci. Amer. Suih, 63 (1907), No. 1629, pp. 26098, 26099).— This is a 

 reprint of an article giving a brief review of the progress in these lines during 

 the year. The part of particular interest from an agricultural standpoint is 

 that relating to the development of i)rocesses for the manufacture of nitrogen 

 compounds. The establishment of factories in Norway, Germany. Switzerland, 



