SOILS — :Fi:rtilizers. 721 



was used the gain was very niucli grt'ater, so luucli so as to make it relatively 

 unprotitable to use gyitsiiiii or kaiuit. 



"The net gain from the use of acid phosphate as a nature reenforcenient 

 has been greater than that from floats, and the ton of fresh manure, reen- 

 foreed with 40 lbs. of acid phosphate, has produced a 10-year average increase 

 to the value of .$4.r)7 over and above the cost of treatment, or more than double 

 the increase ])roduced by the ton of untreated yard manure. 



"When manure has been compared with other fertilizing materials on the 

 basis of chemical elements contained the results justify the assumption tliat 

 the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium of farm manure may be expected to 

 produce effects eiiual to those produced by the same elements in such fertilizing 

 materials as tankage, bone meal, and muriatje of potash, when the two classes 

 of elements are used in equal quantities and in the same relative proportions." 



The loss of fertilizing value in dung [Mark Lane Express, 07 {1901), A'rv. 

 3961, p. .'t2-'i). — Analyses reported by T. K. Wood are quoted showing that 

 manure of cattle fed roots, hay, and oil cakes contained 0..57 per cent of nitro- 

 gen, 35 per cent of which was in ammoniaeal form, as against 0.32 per cent 

 (9 per cent ammoniaeal) in manure of animals receiving only roots and hay. 

 Thus, while the former is much richer than the latter, it is s'ubject to much 

 larger loss of nitrogen. See previous note (E. S. R., 1!), p. 218). 



Fertilizer experiments, W. Schneidewind et al. (Landio. Jahrh., 36 {1907), 

 Xo. .'/, pp. 586-608). — The results obtained in 1906 with barnyard manure con- 

 firmed those of previous years in showing that deep stall manure is much more 

 effective than that from heaps. The loss of nitrogen in the heap was greatly 

 reduced by spreading the fresh manure on a layer of old manure. Gypsum was 

 ineffective and is condemned as a preservative. The best results were obtained 

 by preserving the urine from the stalls by itself and rotting the manure and 

 litter with water. 



Green manuring with beans and peas gave good results in comparison with 

 manure on beets and oats. With potatoes the results were very variable. The 

 success of green manures depends more largely upon the rainfall during the 

 period of growth than upon the character of the soil. Experiments with yel- 

 low clover and serradella seeded between the rows of grain indicate this to be 

 a bad practice when the green manure crops develop sufficiently to aft"ect inju- 

 riously the growth of the grain. 



In comparative tests of nitrate of soda, sulphate of amnuniia, and lime 

 nitrogen on humus and heavy loess loams and on a sandy soil with barley, 

 potatoes, and sugar beets it was found that in cases in which the nitrogenous 

 fertilizers caused a large increase in yield the nitrate of soda gave the highest 

 returns, ammonium sulphate next, and lime nitrogen the smallest. When the 

 increases in yield were small the effect of the fertilizers was very nearly the 

 same, the less active material giving a slightly greater increase than the 

 nitrate. The best results were obtained with the less active fertilizers in the 

 ease of potatoes. The results further indicate that it is a mistake to apply 

 these fertilizers on sandy soils in the fall. Much better results, however, may 

 be obtained by fall application on the better class of soils. 



In a comparison of black fallow with peas in 5 and year rotations the 

 financial return from the rotation containing peas was decidedlj' greater than 

 from that containing black fallow. 



Hiltuer's Nitragin and American nitro-culture were compared on horse 

 beans, peas, alfalfa, and serradella, with the result that neither in field experi- 

 ments nor in pot experiments did the American nitro-culture show any effect. 

 The Nitragin was quite effective on horse beans, but of little or no benefit to 

 other crops. 



