FIELD CROPS. 93!) 



leading kinds of fertilizers, lime, shall the farmer use commercial fertilizers, are fer- 

 tilizers stimulants, and how and why are they beneficial, how commercial fertilizers 

 are collected and analyzed, and terms used in reporting fertilizer analyses. 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers and other manurial substances, C. A. 

 Goessmann (Massachusetts Hatch Sta. Bui. 49, pp. 24). — Analyses are reported in 

 tabular form of 259 samples of fertilizing materials, including wood ashes, sul- 

 phate and muriate of potash, cotton-seed meal, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, 

 tankage, dry ground lish, ground bone, acid phosphate, South Carolina rock phos- 

 phate, mixed fertilizers, cotton waste, hop refuse, spent brewers' grains, sheep 

 manure, muck, compost, soil, and loam. 



Composition of commercial fertilizers, H. B. McDonnell et al. {Maryland Sta. 

 Bui. 49, pp. 105-160). — This bulletin gives a schedule of trade values of fertilizing 

 materials, a list of fertilizers licensed for sale in Maryland for the year ending 

 February 1, 1898, and tabulated analyses and valuations of 390 samples of fertilizers 

 examined during the period from February to July, 1897. 



Commercial fertilizers, B. H. Hite ( West Virginia Sta. Upt. 1896, pp. 30-50). — 

 Analyses and valuations of 478 samples of fertilizing materials are reported. 



How to conduct field experiments -with fertilizers, <i. C. Caldwell (New York 

 Cornell sta. Upt. lS97,pp. 139-147).— A reprint of Bulletin 129 of the station i E. S. R. } 

 9, p. 339). 



Experiments with artificial fertilizers (Ugeskr. Landm., 42 (1897), No. 30, pp. 

 514-524). 



Further observations upon the growth of barley upon an acid upland soil, 

 limed and unlimed, 11. J. Wheeler and <;. M. Tucker (Rhode Island Sta. Ept. 

 1896, pp. 270-2S1). — Observations upon limed and uulimed acid soil agree with 

 those of previous years (E. S. ],'.. 8, p. 580) and Indicate that "on a decidedly acid 

 soil barley may lie wonderfully benefited by liming." 



FIELD CROPS. 



Investigations on the influence of factors of growth on the 

 productive capacity of cultivated plants, E. AYollxy (Forscli. Ayr. 

 rinjs. [Wollny], 20 (1897), Wo. 1, pp. 53-110, Jig. J).— A study of the 

 influence of moisture, plant food, and light was made and the results 

 are here reported in tabular form and discussed in detail. Discussions 

 on the influence of temperature and electricity are based upon experi- 

 ments made by other investigators. 



It was found that, in general, grain and root crops reached their high- 

 est productive capacity with a smaller percentage of moisture in the 

 soil than legumes and grasses did. The optimum moisture content of 

 the soil for grains and root crops is shown to be from 40 to 60 per cent 

 of the amount of moisture the soil is capable of holding. For legumes 

 the optimum varied between 50 and 70 per cent of that amount and 

 for meadow plants between 00 and 80 per cent. 



Experiments were made with different amounts of fertilizer mixtures 

 supplying the necessary elements of plant food in a readily available 

 form to ascertain the influence on plant growth. Rye, peas, rape, 

 sugar beets, potatoes, beans, and corn were grown in pots on sandy, 

 loamy, and peaty soils to which these fertilizer mixtures were applied 

 in quantities differing by a definite amount. The results showed that 

 an increase in plant food does not produce a proportional increase in 



