SOILS FERTILIZERS. 625 



On the action of certain poisonous substances on the bacterial flora of soils, 

 M. EicKEMEYER (Wiener Landic. Ztg., 57 (1907), No. 6.'f, p. 600).— The effects 

 of carbon bisulphid, creosol, soap solution, copper and iron sulphate preparations, 

 arsenic, and carboliueum are briefly described.- 



The increase of crop yields by stimulants, F. Hollrung (Abs. in Engniis. 

 21 (jHOG). \o. ',!>. I>P- JI'->J, 1192; CJion. Ahs., 1 (1907), No. 15, p. 2018).— The 

 author reports increase of yield of sujiar beets following applications of carbon 

 bisulphid, which he ascribes to destruction of parasites and stinuilation. Pass- 

 ing an electric current through a nutrient solution containing potassium iodid 

 and flnorid also resulted in an increase of yield and sugar content. The work 

 of other investigators on the effect of carbon bisulphid on the bacterial flora and 

 activities in the soil is referrM to. 



Soils and manures, A'. H. Kirkham (Notcst Apr. Anal. County Tech. Labs. 

 Chelmsford. 1903-1906, pp. 7-21, /i2-51). — Chemical analyses and notes on gen- 

 eral character of the soils of Tendring Hundred, Essex, and for various fertil- 

 izing materials examined from October, 1003, to October, 1006, are given. The 

 subject of lime manures and liming is also briefly discussed. 



Cattle manure, D. Clouston (Agr. Jour. India, 2 {1907), No. 3, pp. 261- 

 269). — An account is given of comparative tests of the profitableness of 

 cattle manure, manure ashes, the principal local fertilizers, and saltpeter on 

 irrigated and unirrigated wheat, wliich show that the manure was more 

 profitable and had a greater residual efi'ect than the saltpeter, and that the 

 manure ashes had only about one-third the fertilizing value of the manure. 



" Analyses of fresh Indian cattle dung show that it is normally rich in 

 nitrogen. Rotted Indian cattle manure contains a comparatively low per- 

 centage of moisture, often not more than .35 per cent, while that made in Great 

 Britain generally contains 70 to 75 per cent, and for that reason the percentage 

 of nitrogen is very much higher in the former than in the latter." The most 

 ethclent means of preserving and using cattle manure under Indian conditions 

 are described. 



The use of fertilizers on southern Indiana soils, A. Goss (Indiana Sta. Circ. 

 10, pp. 16, figs. 3). — This circular reports in brief the results of experiments 

 which have been carried on by the station for a number of years past "with 

 a view to ascertaining the methods of fertilization best adapted to the 

 different soils and crops of the State. In this connection tests have been 

 made on practically all the important soil types and have involved the 

 use of such materials as dried blood, nitrate of soda, bone, acid phosphate, 

 dicalcic phosphate, rock phosphate, muriate of potash, sulphate of potash, 

 carbonate of potash, ashes, slaked lime, ground limestone, iron sulphate, iron 

 hydrate, magnesium sulphate, magnesium carbonate, sodium sulphate, copjier 

 sulphate, carbon black, nnick, clay, straw manure, and legume crctps." 



The results in general show "that while occasionally soils are found that do 

 not res])ond to fertilizers, usually some combination has been found that has 

 produced handsome profits and not infrequently enormous returns. There is, 

 for example, no question that the application of potash in considerable quanti- 

 ties on muck soil is very profitable in connection with the growing of corn 

 and other crops. It also seems certain that the liberal use of fertilizer on the 

 l-otato crop is highly profitable, and that fertilizer will usually pay well on 

 the wheat and corn crops, if used in the proper proportions and right amounts. 

 The work that has been done emphasizes the fact, however, that in order to 

 secure the best results it is necessary to understand the needs of the partciu- 

 lar soil and crop to be used. . . . There is not the slightest doubt that a 

 large and profitable increase in crop production could be brought about in the 

 State by a more systematic and intelligent use of fertilizers." The turning 



29740— No. 7— OS 3 



