34 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



These analyses show the predominance of very fine soil particles, 

 especially in the subsoil, and explain the retentive power of the soils 

 for water. In order to improve their physical condition it was decided 

 to resort to a test of drainage. For this purpose one of the most refrac- 

 tory spots procurable was selected at Edgewood and 3A-inch tile were 

 laid 2,' ft. deep in lines 50 ft. apart. A record is given of the rainfall 

 and the Mow from the drains from the time the work was finished, 

 March 3, to July 19, 1896. The rainfall was promptly carried off by 

 the drains and the physical condition of the soil was improved. 



"Eqnal areas of tiled and of undrained land yielded corn and stover as follows: 

 Uudrained, 2,215 lbs. of ears and 1,570 lbs. of stover; tiled, 2,711 lbs. of ears and 

 1,990 lbs. of stover. This is 22 per cent increase of corn and 26 per cent increase 

 of stover on the tiled portion. . . . 



"It yet remains to learn if drains will endure, but the closest observation bas 

 failed to find signs of destruction. But little silt appears at the outlet and none 

 lias settled iii tbe tile along- the course of tbe drain. . . . 



"The experience of tbe year indicates that 50 ft. or even 100 ft. apart is unnec- 

 essarily close for lines of tile even in tbese so-called impervious soils." 



The relation between the underground and the cultivated soil. A. Helland 

 ( Tidsskr. norske Landbr., 4 (1897), pp. 145-161). 



On the industrial utilization of peat marshes in Sweden, Denmark, Northern 

 Germany, and Holland, A. Dai, ( Tidsskr. norske Landbr., 4 {1897), pp. 76-91). 



FERTILIZERS. 



Experiments with urine and liquid manure, 1889-95, N". A. 

 Hansen [Tidsskr. Landolcon, 15 (1896), pp. 576-593). — The experiments 

 here reported were conducted at Dalum Agricultural School, Denmark, 

 and were a continuation of those noted in E. S. R., 5, pp. 523-525. 

 The results obtained corroborated in general the conclusions drawn 

 from the earlier work. The greatest losses of liquid manure and of 

 nitrogen in storage were found to occur during the summer months, 

 viz, 1 and 2 per cent for liquid manure and nitrogen, respectively, 

 against 0.2 and L.5 per cent during the spring and early summer 

 months, and 0.2 and 1.2 per cent during fall and winter. The best time 

 lor applying liquid manure was found to be during April on grass hind, 

 ;ind A] nil and duly on roots. Taking the yield of hay on plats fertil- 

 ized with liquid manure during April at 100, the yields from similar 

 plats fertilized during other months were as follows: September, 47; 

 October, 43; November, 07; January, 00; March, 81; May, 77; duly, 

 42; August, 23. For roots (also taking the yield when manured in 

 April ;is 100) the figures were, May, 80; dune, 00; duly, 100; August, 

 71 (average, I889-'95). 



Liquid manure applied between the rows in root fields in every trial 

 produced better results than were obtained from the same quantities 

 spread over the whole field. The yields by the former method of appli- 

 cation during the different months being placed at 100. those obtained 

 by the hitter method were, when applied in June, 86; July, 78, and 

 August, 28. 



