FERTILIZERS. 33 



established beyond question. Many tests of soils, where both nitrate of soda and 

 sulphate of ammonia have been used, have shown that they influence greatly the 

 chemical reaction of the soil. The nitric acid of the nitrate of soda is taken up by 

 plants leaving a basic residue, while on the other hand the ammonia of sulphate of 

 ammonia is changed to nitric acid and utilized by plants, and sulphuric acid is left 

 as a residual product. 



"Wagner and Dorsch, citing European experiments in support of their contention 

 that nitrate of soda is frequently more efficacious than sulphate of ammonia bv virtue 

 of a direct manurial action of sodium, make no mention of a possible influence of 

 the chemical reaction of the soil as affected by these salts. Indeed, they cite the 

 Rothamsted results in support of their conclusions. It was pointed out, however, 

 several years ago by one of us (H. J. W. ) that the inefficiency of sulphate of ammonia 

 at Rothamsted as compared with nitrate of soda was probably due to the resultant 

 difference in the reaction of the soil which lime was shown to be capable of over- 

 coming. In fact, recent experiments with lime at Rothamsted have shown that it 

 corrects the condition, thus fully demonstrating the position taken at this station, 

 and furnishing further evidence in support of the conclusion from our own experi- 

 ments. 



"The results secured here are to the effect that the differences in the yields pro- 

 duced by nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia are not attributable, at least, more 

 than to a limited extent, and then perhaps only with a few kinds of plants, to a 

 direct manurial action of the sodium, but often chiefly to the difference in the 

 chemical reaction of the soil which is brought about by the two salts. 



"The conclusion reached is further supported by the fact that the greater efficiency 

 of nitrate of soda, as compared with sulphate of ammonia in our own experiments, 

 was not apparently by virtue of the capacity of soda to act as a carrier of nitric acid 

 to the plant." 



The influence of the depth of application of straw on the yield, C. von 

 Seeluorst and W. Freckmann (Jour. Landw., 52 (1904), No. 1-2, pp. 163-171, pis. 

 6). — Pot experiments with oats grown on loam and sandy soils with and without 

 aeration and different amounts of water to determine the influence on denitrification 

 of applications of straw or strawy manures, aeration, moisture, and the character of 

 the soil are reported. The results show that when nitrate was applied the deeper 

 the application of straw or strawy manure the greater the denitrification. In the 

 case of loam soil without nitrate applications of straw in the upper half of the soil 

 were the more injurious. 



Influence of applications of strawy manures on yield when used in con- 

 nection with lime and sulphuric acid, C. vox Seelhorst and W. Freckmaxx 

 (Jour. Landw., 52 (1904), No. 1-2, pp. 172-174, pi- -?)• — A brief account is given of 

 pot experiments with mustard, the results of which show that the use of such 

 materials as lime and sulphuric acid, which hasten the decomposition of the strawy 

 manures, lessen their injurious effect on the yield, although they do not entirely 

 overcome it. 



The value of straw ash, E. Herrmann, E. Hotter, and J. Stumpf (Separate from 

 Oesterr. Landw. Wchribl., 30 (1904), Nos. 6, 8, 12, 13).— The fertilizing value of this 

 material is discussed. 



Nitrifying 1 organisms, E. Bocllanger and L. Massol (Ann. List. Pasteur, 18 

 (1904), pp. 181-196; ahs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 86 (1004), No. 499, IL, p. 

 361). — Observations on the behavior of nitrifying organisms in the presence of vari- 

 ous carbonates, nitrites, and ammonium salts are reported. 



The nitrous organism accommodates itself to all ordinary carbonates, but does not 

 attack hydroxylamin hydrochloric!. The nitric organism oxidizes nearly all nitrites 

 in solutions containing 0.5 to 1 gm. per liter. Nitrification took place in a great 

 variety of ammonia salts tested, but in case of ammonium arsenite, iodid, citrate, and 



