478 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



were grown, together with data for rainfall and maximum temperatures 

 during the same period. Samples were taken at the following depths: 

 Top to 4 in., 4 in. to 1 ft., 1 ft. to 2 ft., L» ft. to 3 ft., and 3 ft. to 4 ft. 

 They were well mixed before the moisture was determined. 



In the clover held the first 2 ft. of soil was black loam of uniform 

 aud good quality, the third foot fine gravel aud grayish clay, and the 

 fourth gravel and clay. In the corn field the first 2 ft. of soil was 

 loamy, the third yellowish clay loam mixed with l)lack loam, and the 

 fourth yellow sandy loam. In the oat field the soil was of the same 

 character as that of the corn field. In the root field the soil was simi- 

 lar to that of the preceding plat down to a depth of 3 ft., the third foot 

 being black loam mixed with yellowish timber clay, and the fourth con- 

 sisting of stiff yellowish clay and fine gravel. In the pasture soil the 

 first 2 ft. was loamy, the third foot fine, sandy, brown loam, the fourth 

 fine, sandy, yellowish loam. 



The averages of the results obtained on these soils during the 30 

 weekly periods are given in the following table: 



Moisture in Ihe soil at dijferent depths. 



Clover plat 



Corn plat 



Oatplat 



Mangel-wurzel plat 

 Bine-grass plat 



Average 

 weekly 

 rainfall. 



Inch. 

 0.84 

 .84 

 .81 

 .84 

 .84 



The difference between the number of tons of water present in the 

 soil at the beginning and end of growth as calculated from the above 

 figures, added to the rainfall, is assumed to be the amount which dis- 

 api)eared from the soil in the production of the different crops. This 

 was estimated to be 1,559.64 tons of water per ton of clover hay, 570.89 

 tons per ton of air-dry corn fodder, 1,200 tons per ton of oats and straw, 

 137.49 tons per ton of mangel-wurzels, and 3,223.82 tons per acre of 

 pasture. 



On the changes ^vhich the soil undergoes -when sterilized, 

 L. EiCHTER [Landic. Vers. ^Stat., 47 {189ii), Xo. -i-.), j^P- 369-374).— 

 Irregularities in the growth of plants in pots of sterilized soil, which could 

 not be explained by the presence or absence of microorganisms, led to 

 a study of the water content, weight by volume, specific gravity, jjoros- 

 ity, capillarity, absorptive power for water and ammonia, total nitro- 

 gen, nitrogen soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid, ammonia, and matter 

 soluble in cold water in soil used in pot experiments before and after 

 sterilization. It was found that the capillary rise of water in sterilized 

 soil was irregular on different sides of the soil column. The differences 

 were greater the greater the length of time of the test. They were 



