572 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



in 1895 with 10 kinds of plants, increasing the number of rows of tlie 

 3 kinds whicli the previous year had indicated a greater deficiency of 

 potash than of pliosphoric acid. 



"Theresnlts with beans iu 1895 have not been conclusivejbut those with the sunflower 

 and the summer squash show a greater deficiency of phosphoric acid than of nitrogen 

 or potash, and contradict, therefore, the indications afiorded by the test with 2 rows 

 only in 1894. When it is considered, however, that 16 rows each of sunflowers and 

 of summer squashes were employed in 1895, aud but 2 rows of each in 1894, it will be 

 seen that strong evidence is afforded that the 1894 results were merely incidental, and 

 that of the 37 jilants which have been tested in the 2 years probably not one would 

 fail, under satisfactory conditions, to show a deficiency of jihosphoric acid in the 

 soil. For the purpose of arriving at fully definite conclusions in regard to this point 

 it is hoped to continue the experiment, particularly with beans, and perhaps with 

 sunflowers and summer squashes, for at least another season." 



North Dakota soils, E. F. Ladd {N'orth Dakota Sta. Bui. 34, pp. 

 57-73). — Mechanical aud chemical analyses of 10 samples of soil from 

 the Red Eiver Valley, 4 from the James River Valley, 2 from the Shey- 

 enne River Valley, 2 from Mouse River Valley, 6 from the Devils Lake 

 region, 5 from the northern counties and Turtle Mountain region, 1 each 

 from Welles County and Sisseton Reservation, and 2 from west of the 

 Missouri are tabulated and discussed. 



"The soil of North Dakota is a drift or alluvial loam ranging from 6 in. to 3 ft. 

 deep, and in color from black to grayish-brown. The soils for difl'erent parts of the 

 State diff"er considerably both in physical and chemical properties, but successful 

 agriculture is more influenced by meteorological or climatic conditions than by any 

 difiference in the chemical properties of the soil. The western half of our State lies 

 within the great semihumid belt lying east of the Rocky Mountains, aud extending 

 from north to south across the United States, aud underlaid by the great artesian 

 basin, where irrigation may be possible. , . . 



"Some of the samples of soil have been taken from the unbroken virgin prairie, 

 and others from fields for 15 years or more under cultivation, mainly in wheat. . . . 



"The soils having the finest mechanical condition are outside of the Rod River Val- 

 ley, and in the so-called semihumid belt. These soils are exceedingly retentive of 

 moisture, as is shown by their capacity to hold water, and by experiments. -For this 

 reason the small annual rainfall suffices to produce a good yield of grain crops. Prob- 

 ably the better increase of wheat observed after bare summer fallow, when the soil 

 is frequently cultivated, is not due so much to resting the laud or making available 

 plaut food as to conserving the moisture in the soil, storing it up so that a larger 

 supply is available for the growing crop of the succeeding year." 



Examinations of the humus in 32 of the soil samples, showing i>er- 

 centages of humus and ash and phosphoric acid in humus, are reported, 

 and the character and importance and loss of this substance from soils 

 under cultivation (especially bare fallowing) are discussed. 



"On the College farm the unbroken prairie showed 109 tons of humus per acre, 

 while similar land under cultivation on the same farm showed but 63 tons per acre. 



"In 1891 a field showed 5.35 per cent of humus, and 0.79 per cent of phosjihoric acid 

 was in the humus. Crop rotation was adopted, aud in 1894 the field showed 6.82 per 

 cent of humus and 0.091 per cent of phosphoric acid in the humus, showing that 

 it is possible to increase the humus in the soil by crop rotation and diversified 

 agriculture." 



