426 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.36 



conducted at Rutgers College with typical New Jersey soils, including sand, 

 sandy loam, loam, silt loam, and clay soils, on the absorption and distribution 

 of ammonia applied to soils and on factors influencing the same are reported. 

 Fifty gm. of soil was shaken for one minute with 200 cc. of a 1/100-normal 

 ammonium sulphate solution and then allowed to stand, after which the 

 ammonia was distilled off from a filtered portion. 



It was found that New Jersey soils presented a wide range of absorptive 

 capacity for ammonia, the smallest absorption being" observed in the sand 

 soil and the largest in the sandy loam soil. The presence of calcium osid in 

 soils seemed to exert a greater influence on absorption than any other factor, 

 first increasing and then decidedly decreasing it. In general, mechanical 

 and chemical composition, hygroscopicity, etc., all had some effect on absorp- 

 tion. To a certain extent, the absorption of ammonia followed the percentage 

 of combined iron and alumina, calcium oxid and carbon dioxid, as well as 

 the organic matter and physical properties of the soil. The presence of 

 colloids and conditions which favor them increased the absorptive power of 

 the soil, while the presence of potash or acid phosphate, either alone or in com- 

 bination, reduced it. 



The distribution of applied ammonia in soils was also quite variable and 

 seemed to be a fimction of the absorption. In light soils the ammonia quickly 

 found its way into the deeper layers unless there was a supply of CaO present; 

 in heavier soils most of the ammonia was held in the surface 3 or 4 in. A 

 slightly alkaline reaction was beneficial to the conservation of ammonia. 

 Calcium carbonate had little effect upon the distribution of ammonia in soils, 

 while the addition of potash or acid phosphate tended to lower the mean distri- 

 bution. The ammonia remained nearer the surface of the soil the gi-eater the 

 absorptive capacity. Everything else being equal, ammonium sulphate should 

 be applied shallower in light than in heavy soils." 



A list of 35 references to literature bearing on the subject is appended. 



Investigation and valuation of crude calcium cyanamid, P. Liechti and 

 E. Truningek {Chem. Ztg., 40 (1916), pp. 365, 366; abs. in Jour. Soc. Chem. 

 Indus., 35 (1916), No. 11, p. 6^7). — A chemical method for determining the 

 nitrogen content of calcium cyanamid is described. 



In six specimens of calcium cyanamid a maximum cyanamid-nitrogen con- 

 tent of 0.5 per cent was found, whereas the nitrogen present as dicyandiamid 

 ran to more than 7 per cent. As it was thought that the dicyandiamid can act 

 as a plant poison under certain conditions, pot experiments on wheat were 

 made to compare the action of these abnormal specimens with that of the 

 normal fertilizer. These showed that the former were distinctly injurious to 

 the yield of grain and to a lesser extent to the yield of straw. 



During a 3-months' storage of calcium cyanamid in an atmosphere saturated 

 with moisture, the original cyanamid present was almost completely converted 

 into dicyandiamid. On the other hand, no such conversion occurred when the 

 air was kept dry; one sample was preserved in a wooden box for eight years 

 without any deterioration taking place. 



The determination of the nitrogen present as cyanamid and as dicyandiamid 

 is considered at least as important as the determination of total nitrogen. 



Effect of varying amounts of water upon the decomposition of crude cal- 

 cium cyanamid and the formation of dicyandiamid, G. Hageb and J. Kern 

 (Ztschr. Angev). Chem., 29 (1916), pp. 221-223; abs. in Jour. Soc. Chem. Indus., 

 35 (1916), No. 15, pp. 8.56, 857; Chem. Abs., 10 (1916), No. 20, pp. 2608, 2609).— 

 Quantities of crude calcium cyanamid of 100 gm. each were treated separately 

 with 5, 10, 15. 25, and 50 gm. of water and inclosed in air-tight glass vessels. 

 After five and seven months the material was analyzed. The fertilizer used 



