942 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



upon tlic intlueiice of various fertilizers upon germinatiou, in which it 

 was shown that alkaline fertilizers with lime and potash for their bases 

 were favorable to the germination of leguminous seed. Slag and li(iuid 

 manure produced a better effect than lime alone. 



J)eh«''rain' has published an important work on the fertilizers and 

 ferments of the soil, in which the importance of ferments as fertilizing 

 agents is pointed out. 



Larbaletrier and Malpeaux^ have investigated the action of magnesia 

 fertilizers. By means of pot cultures verified by field tests they have 

 shown that magnesium sulphate is more eflicient than magnesium car- 

 bonate. Soils containing as much as 0.021 per cent of magnesia are 

 not benefited by the addition of magnesium compounds. 



The general subject of phosphatic fertilizers has been considered by 

 numerous investigators. Of work in this line may be mentioned 

 the comparative tests of different kinds of phosphates by Xay de 

 Mezeuce,^ which gave results favoring dried superphosphates as com- 

 pared with the ordinary kind; Eisler's^ investigations on soils poor in 

 phosphoric acid; Grandeau's^ on the assimilation of phosphates; Tra- 

 but's'' on the use of natural phosphates; Couture's' on the phosphate 

 deposits of Algiers and Tunis; and Aubin's^ on the assimilability of 

 Thomas slag. Pageot^ has recommended the superphosphates as more 

 efficient on acid soils than the phosphates. Trufifault '" has written upon 

 the action of fertilizers in horticulture and their effect upon the crop. 

 Deherain " has given advice relative to the management of barnyard 

 manure, and Trabut,'^ in his investigations on nitrification, has studied 

 the question of the conservation of manure, and has shown that by acidi- 

 fying the litter a loss of from 50 to 70 i)er cent of the nitrogen was pre- 

 vented. Lafargue" has reported upon the subject of humus and green 

 manuring. Comon '* has studied the effect of fertilizers upon the starch 

 content of potatoes. He was able to increase their starch content 3 i)er 

 cent by the use of phosphatic and i^otash fertilizers. Vassilliere'^ has 

 demonstrated the superior value of nitrate of soda as a wheat fertilizer. 



'Les eiigrais et les ferments de lii terre; Paris: Rneff et Cie, 1896, pp. 222 (E. S. 

 R., 7, p. 489). 



-Ann. Agron., 22 (1896), p. 20 (E. S. R., 7, p. 756). . 

 sjonr. Agr. Prat., 1 (1896), p. 909; 2 (1896), pp. 70, 753. 

 abid.,2 (1896),p.88. 



^ Bui. Agr. Alger, et Tuuis., 1896, No. 4, p. 78. 

 6 Ibid., p. 75. 



■^ Bui. Soc. Agr. France, 1896, No. 1, Supp. p. 289. 

 *• Ibid., p. 300. 



■•Jour. Agr. Prat., 2 (1896), p. 444. 



'"Sols, terres, et composts utilises en horticulture; I'aris: Doi.u, 1896, pp. 310. 

 " Bui. Agr. Alger, et Tunis., 1896, No. 20, p. 469. 

 >- Ibid., No. 21, p. 543. 



'3 Bui. Soc. Agr. France, 28 (1896), No. 1, Supp. p. 308. 

 '^ .Tour. Agr. Prat., 1 (1896), p. 816. 

 >-° ibid., p. 13. 



