344 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



mg. phosphoric acid when ammonimii nitrate was nsed instead of calcium nitrate, 

 the same phosphorite l)eing apphed. 



Experiments made with a view to determining whether this action of the ammo- 

 nium salts is not at least in part due to their solvent action on the phosphorites 

 showed that this solvent action is very slight. Digestion for a month of 10 gm. 

 phosphorite with 1,000 cc. of 1 per cent ammonium sulphate solution with frequent 

 shaking caused the solution of only 4.98 mg. phosphoric acid. Ammonium nitrate 

 exerted a still lower solvent action. It follows that the influence of the ammonium 

 salts on the increase of the yield must be due to physiological causes. — p. fireman. 



The action of nitrogen in absence of other nutritive substances, H. Vvil- 

 FAETH {Bl. Zuckermhenbau, 1901, p. 15; ahx. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London'], 82 {1902) , 

 No. 478, 11, p. 526). — It was found that sugar beets grown with potash and with 

 little nitrogen contained 11.03 per cent of sugar. With large amounts of nitrogen 

 but no potash the beets contained only 0.0062 per cent of sugar. Potatoes similarly 

 fertilized contained 14.6 and 9.76 per cent of starch respectively. 



Effect of nitrogen in nitrates and of humus substances on the inoculation 

 of leguminous plants, F. Nobbe and L. Richter {Landir. Vers. Stat., 56 {1902), No. 

 5-6, pp. 441-448; ah.^. in .Iimr. Cliem. Hoc. {London'], 82 {1902), No. 478, II, p. 521).— 

 Pot experiments are reported in which oats and soy beans were grown separately or 

 in mixtures on humus soil or a mixture of the soil with sand, one series of pots being 

 inoculated, the other being sterile. In case of the mixed soil there was an additional 

 series of pots to which potassium nitrate was added. The effectiveness of inoculation 

 was diminished both by the nitrogenous matter of the soil and by the nitrate added. 

 The activity of the nodule bacteria was increased by growing oats with the beans, 

 due, it is believed, to the fact that the oats removed nitrates from the soil. The yield 

 of oats was greater when grown with beans than when grown alone. 



Perchlorate of potash in plant growth; the harmlessness of nitrates of 

 soda imported from Chile, L. (iRANDEAU { .four. Agr. Frat., n. »ei\, 4 {1902), No. 35, 

 pp. 27 1-273). — A brief review of investigations on the subject, from which it is con- 

 cluded that while nitrate containing 1 per cent of perchlorate is injurious to crops, 

 especially to r\ , there is, under present conditions, little danger of such nitrate being 

 shipped from Chile. However, for greater security, purchasers are advised to require 

 a guaranty of less than 1 per cent of perchlorate. 



FIELD CROPS. 



Influence of environment on the chemical composition of plants, H. W. 

 Wiley ( U. S. Depf. Agr. Yearbook 1901, pp. 299-318, charts 3) . — This article deals 

 chiefly with the studies conducted by the Bureau of Chemistry on the composition 

 of plants as affected by environment. A review is given of the early studies in this 

 direction. Recent work has consisted of observations on the influence of environ- 

 ment on the chemical composition of cereals, sugar-producing plants, cantaloupes, 

 and muskmelons. 



In the earlier work with wheat, seed of many different varieties was sent to Colo- 

 rado, Oregon, California, and North Carolina. for growth, and the results showed 

 that the Colorado-grown wheat was richer in protein than the original seed, w'hile 

 that grown in the other States was decidedly poorer in protein than the original seed. 

 The general conclusion is drawn that the environment of Colorado increased the 

 nitrogen content of wheat, and it is shown that this increase was made at the expense 

 of the carbohydrate content. The results obtained in Oregon, California, and North 

 Carolina showed an increase of carbohydrate content at the expense of the nitrogen. 

 It is pointed out that "the soil, as a rule, has the least effect of all the important 

 factors of environment on the chemical composition, provided, of course, that it con- 

 tains the essential elements of plant food necessary to produce an average crop." 



