WATER SOILS. 537 



Experiments were made on reclaimed marsh land of this character at 

 the station with a view to discovering the cause of its unproductiveness. 



It was believed that the application of lime would improve its texture, 

 but a heavy dressing of this substance, although increasing somewhat 

 the water content of the surface foot of soil, at the expense of the lower 

 layers, and the yield of corn, was not of marked benefit. Barnyard 

 manure at the rate of .">4 loads per acre increased the yield nearly 2 tons 

 of dry matter per acre. It is suggested that the beneficial effect of the 

 manure was due to the available nitrogen which it supplied. 



Moisture determinations in unfertilized plats and in those fertilized 

 with barnyard manure, basic slag, marl, kainit, potassium sulphate and 

 chlorid, bone meal, and superphosphate, show that — 



"The average percentage of moisture in the surface foot of ground to which fertili- 

 zers had been applied was 1.35 percent less than the surface foot where the fertilizers 

 were not applied and that the second foot is just a tritle drier also. This is in the 

 same direction as that found for the lime experiment. But here again as in that case 

 it must be observed the yield of dry matter is greater on the fertilized ground than 

 it is on the ground not so treated, and in the author's judgment this drying out 

 must be attributed to the larger plant growth stimulated by better feeding rather 

 than to the physical effect of the fertilizers. . . . 



"While there was practically no difference in the yield of dry matter from the 

 plats treated with phosphoric acid fertilizers and their check plats there is a larger 

 difference in the soil moisture of the surface foot than is shown on the potash plats 

 where the yield of dry matter is 1,031 lbs. per acre greater. While this difference 

 tends to establish a physical effect of the fertilizers used the author does not feel 

 that tlie observations are sufficiently numerous to prove that the ease is not merely 

 one of the coincidences which so often occur. 



" The data further suggest that while marl and the phosphoric acid fertilizers have 

 not materially increased the yield, the potash fertilizers have, anil hence that our 

 black marsh soils may need potash as well as nitric nitrogen. 



"The barnyard manure produced a much larger increase of yield than did any of 

 the other fertilizers, which may be due to the fact that it could give both the potash 

 and the nitric nitrogen." 



On the determination of the organic matter in water by means of potassium 

 permanganate, F. MAKBOUTIN and M. Franck (Iiul. Soc. Chim. Paris, .',. ser., 17 (1897), 

 No. 1S-19, pp. 888-890). — A comparison of the Albert-Levy and the Forchammer- 

 Franklaud method on 11 samples of river water from the region of Paris. The 

 results by the former method were about twice as high as those yielded by the latter. 



Physico-geographical regions of European Russia, G. I. Tanfilyev ( Trudi 

 Imper. Volnavo Econ. Obsh., 1896, I, pp. 1ST). — The different regions are classified 

 according to soils and plants and discussed in some detail. Russia is thus divided 

 into 4 grand divisions : (1) Northern Russia or the region of the fir; (2) Southern 

 Russia or the region of the steppes; (3) Aralo-C'aspian region of alkali soils, and (1) 

 southern coast of the Crimea. Particular attention is given to the black soils, the 

 steppes, and the alkali soils. — r. fireman. 



On the soils of the Vistula region, N. M. Sibirzev (Trudi Imper. Volnavo Econ. 

 Obsh., 1896, I, pp. 54-63). 



On the chernozem (black soil) of the Vladimir government, G. I. Tanfilyev 

 (Trudi Imper. Volnavo Econ. Obsh., 1896, I, pp. 47-53). 



Investigations on the effect on the physical properties of moor soils of mix- 

 ing and covering with sand, E. Wollny (Forsch. Agr. Phys. [TVollny], 20 (1897), 

 No. l,pp. 187-21:2). 



