450 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Clover as a fertilizer, W. Saunders ( Canada Cent. Expt. Farm Bui. 40, p]>. 2S, 

 pif. o^ — Green inanuring with clover as a means of improving soils is discussed. 



A study of the cultural value of fertilizers, E. Rabate {Juur. Arjr. Prat., n. 

 ser., 4 {1902), No. 42, pp. 497-501). — The author discusses a number of different 

 ways of estimating the cultural value of fertilizers, and concludes that the simplest 

 and most satisfactory criterion for such estimates is the net profit obtained per unit 

 of area. 



The solvent power of different plants for mineral phosphates {Rev. Gin. 

 Agron. [Louvain], 11 {1902), Xo. 7-8, 2)p. .?J7-5.^i). ---Attention is called to experi- 

 ments reported by C. Schreiber in 1897, in which this subject was studied with a 

 number of different kinds of plants — 11 Graminete, 9 Leguminosjo, 3 Cruciferge, and 

 8 miscellaneous plants — the solvent power of the plants being distinguished from 

 that of the soil by growing the plants in a soil which was shown to have no solvent 

 power of itself for the phosphates. The Graminese showed little solvent power, the 

 greatest being in ease of corn; the Leguminosse utilized the mineral phosphates to a 

 considerable extent; the same was true of the Cruciferae and buckwheat. The solv- 

 ent power was very small in case of tobacco and flax, and especially carrots and 

 asparagus; it was slightly greater, but still very small, in case of potatoes and beets. 

 The recent investigations of Prianishnikov (E. S. R., 13, p. 934) are referred to as 

 confirming Schreit>er's conclusions, although apparently no account is taken by this 

 investigator of the earlier work. 



The phosphate rocks of Arkansas, J. C. Branner and J. F. Newsom {Arkamas 

 Sta. Bid. 74, pp- 59-123, figs. 24). — This is a bulletin of information to encourage the 

 development of the phosphate deposits of Arkansas which occur probably in 3 differ- 

 ent regions of the State. The first, and probably the most important, lies in north- 

 central Arkansas, north of Boston Mountains and west of Black River, and includes 

 parts of the counties of Independence, Stone, Izard, Searcy, Marion, Baxter, and 

 Newton; "the second is in the cretaceous area of the southwestern part of the State. 

 It is possible that there is a third north and west of the city of Hot Springs." 



The deposits of the first region are being worked l)y one comjiany for use in the 

 manufacture of acid phosphate, and 2 railway companies are building roads into the 

 region. The phosphate which is now being used "is soft and easily crushed, and in 

 appearance is identical with some of the Tennessee phosphate rocks," and "works up 

 into a dry, friable acid phosphate." The various localities where phosphate has 

 been discovered are described in detail and analyses of 85 samples are reported. The 

 latter show that the phosphates contain a lar.ge amount of iron and alumina, the 

 better class containing from 3.08 to 9.01 per cent. The tricalcium phosphate in the 

 better grade of phosphate varies from 49.38 to 76.62 percent. In the majority of 

 cases the percentage of iron and alumina is too high for the manufacture of high- 

 grade superphosphates. The i)hosphates are, however, recommended for direct use 

 as a fertilizer in fine-ground condition. 



Investig'ation.s on the conditions of formation of oceanic salt deposits, 

 especially the Stassfurt salt beds. XXVII, The artificial preparation of 

 Pinnoit, J. II. vax't Hoff and G. Bruni {Sitzher. KgJ. Preuss. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 

 1902, Xo. 35, pp. 805-807).— Vim-\o\t (MgO.B,03.3H,0) which is found in nature as a 

 transformation product of boracite may be prepared artificially by saturating a solu- 

 tion of boric acid (1 part in 10 of water) with magnesium oxid or carbonate in the 

 warm, filtering, and evaporating slowly at 60 to 70° C. 



Fertilizer experiments on moor soils in Sweden {Deut. Landv:. Presse, 29 

 {1902) , Xo.«. 48, p. 413, figs. 2; 49, pp. 420, 421) .—The results of fertilizer experiments 

 on moor soils in jirogress for 13 years are reviewed. 



The after-effect of commercial fertilizers, Bachmann {Deut. Landiu. Presse, 29 

 {1902), Xo. 84, p. 683). — Experiments are reported in which better returns' were 

 obtained from the use of a complete fertilizer each year than when only nitrogen 



