214 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.38 



the fact that the conservation referred to is not limited to the nitrogen utilized 

 by the crops and conserved in the crop residues, but is an additional and actual 

 conservation of soil nitrogen which may be utilized by farm crops." 



The chemical composition of the soils of the Freehold area in New Jersey, 

 A. W. B1.AIK and H. C. McLean (Ncio Jersey Stas. Bui. SOD {1916), pp. 5-37).— 

 This reports chemical analyses of 31 soil types of seven series and of one sample 

 of muck from the Freehold area of New Jersey, described and mapped by the 

 Bureau of Soils of the U. S. Department of Agriculture (B. S. R., 34, p. 616). 



The analyses show rather certain pronounced chemical differences between 

 soils of the different series, but a measure of similarity between soils of a 

 particular type, if that type is followed through the various series. Generally 

 speaking, the soils containing the highest percentage of total plant food are 

 the most productive. The total plant food increases from the lighter to the 

 heavier types, with few exceptions. There is invariably more nitrogen and 

 carbon in the soil than in the subsoil ; in the case of nitrogen at least three 

 times as much. There is little difference in the average mineral content of the 

 soil and subsoil, although in many cases there is slightly more potash in the 

 subsoil than in the soil. In most types magnesia is somewhat in excess 

 of lime in both soil and subsoil. Practically all of the soils are deficient in 

 active lime, the lime being mainly in the form of silicates or phosphates. In 

 the majority of cases the lime requirement was from 1,000 to 3,000 lbs. of ground 

 limestone or its equivalent in lime. 



Soil survey of Washington County, Ala., L. A. Hukst, E. H. Stevens, H. C. 

 Smith, J. L. Anuress, and J. F. Steouu ([/. S. Dept. Agr., Adv. Sheets Field 

 Oper. Bur. Soils, 1915, pp. 51, pis. 4, fig. 1, map i).— This survey, made in co- 

 operation with the State of Alabama, deals with the soils of an area of 084,800 

 acres in southwestern Alabama, lying wholly within the Gulf Coastal Plain 

 province. The topography of the county varies from low, flat first-bottom lands 

 and level terraces to undulating upland and eroded hills, the elevation ranging 

 from sea level to 300 or 400 ft. above. 



The soils of the county are derived from sediments from crystalline, lime- 

 stone, and sandstone and shale areas of the Appalachian, Piedmont, and Lime- 

 stone Valley regions, and occur both as sedimentary and as alluvial soils. 

 Twenty-seven soil types of 16 series are mapped in addition to sv/amp and 

 muck, Plummer fine sandy loam occupying 21.6 per cent, Norfolk fine sandy 

 loam 14.4 per cent, and swamp 11.2 per cent of the total area, predominating. 



Soil survey of the Honey Lake area, Cal., J. E. Guernsey, J. Koebee, C. J. 

 ZiNN, and E. C. Eckmann {U. S. Dept. Agr., Adv. SJieets Field Oper. Bur. Soils, 

 1915, pp. 6-i, pis. 4' fig- 1, "tnup 1). — This survey, made in cooperation with the 

 California Experiment Station, deals with the soils of an area of 338,560 acres 

 in the southeastern part of Lassen County, Cal., the topography of which is 

 varied, ranging from level on the valley floor to rough mountainous in the 

 foothills. 



"The soils are classed under seven general groups (1) those derived from 

 residual material, (2) those derived from old valley-filling material (chiefly 

 Lahontan Lake bed.s), (3) those derived from material of the Lahontan beds 

 modified by chemical precipitates, (4) those derived from recent lake deposits, 

 (5) those derived from recent alluvial fan and stream-bottom deposits, (6) 

 those derived from wind-laid deposits, and (7) miscellaneous material. In 

 extent the old valley-filling soils are by far the most important, but are not 

 extensively utilized. The recent lake-laid soils and recent alluvial soils sup- 

 port a large percentage of the present agriculture." 



