FERTILIZERS. 761 



magnesia were nearly as effective as calcium carbonate <>n all plants, except lupines, 

 which were experimented with, the experimental plants including horse beans, 

 vetches, peas, red clover, mustard, and carrots. 



Magnesia was more injurious to lupines than lime. Pure carbonates of lime and 

 magnesia were more effective than powdered marble and magnesite. When burnt, 

 however, the latter were more effective than the former. With applications of mag- 

 nesia the lime content of the plant, was in general lowered and the magnesia content 

 increased. The lime content of the horse bean seeds was somewhat increased with 

 moderate applications of lime. The magnesia content was influenced to a decided 

 extent by applications of both lime and magnesia. 



No very close relation between maximum yield anil the ratio between lime and 

 magnesia in the soil was observed. With an insufficient amount of lime in the soil 

 the yield was increased both by applications of lime and of magnesia. On the other 

 hand, if the soil contained a sufficient amount of lime, but varying amounts of mag- 

 nesia, the yield was reduced by applications of both lime and magnesia. The lime 

 requirement of a soil appears, therefore, to be determined only by the lime content, 

 except in case of soils which are especially rich in magnesium carbonate. 



A 10 per cent solution of ammonium chlorid was found to be a much more satis- 

 factory solvent for determining the easily available lime and magnesia in soils than 

 10 per cent hydrochloric acid. The different plants experimented with varied 

 widely in their behavior toward larjje applications of magnesia. 



Fertilizers and the drought of 1904, E. Leroux (Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., 8 

 (1904), No. 52, pp. 825-827). — The results of field experiments in different parts of 

 France during the dry season of 1904 are briefly summarized, showing that in all 

 cases the chemical fertilizers produced a beneficial effect. 



Demonstration fertilizer experiments in Carinthia in 1903, H. Svoboda 

 (Ztschr. Landw. VersucJisw. Oesterr., 7 (1904), No. 12, pp. SJ3-857).— The results of 

 cooperative experiments on l.'!7 different farms are reported, with analyses of the 

 soils experimented with. An attempt is made to trace the relation, if any exists, 

 between the productiveness of the soil and the amount of fertilizing constituents 

 shown by ordinary chemical analysis, and the conclusion is reached that carefully 

 conducted fertilizer experiments furnish the only reliable means of determining the 

 fertilizer requirements of soils. 



The development of the manufacture of chemical fertilizers (Ztschr. Angew. 

 < 'hem., IS (1905), No. 4, pp. W9-132).— The history of the development of the fertil- 

 izer manufacturing industry is briefly reviewed, especially the discovery and exploi- 

 tation of guano and phosphate deposits and the manufacture of superphosphates. 



The judging of the quality of commercial fertilizers, T. Knosi:l( Ztschr. A injur. 

 Chem., 17 (1904), pp. 1788-1791; abs. in Chem. Centbl., 1905, 1, No. 1, p. 44).— The 

 author discusses the relative merits of Thomas slag treated with sulphite solution 

 (E. S. R., 15, p. 764) and other fertilizers. 



The value of commercial fertilizers, Aumann (Ztschr. Angew. Chem., 18 (1905), 

 No. 3, pp. 96, 97). — This is a reply to Knosel (see above) maintaining the correctness 

 of the author's former valuations of two of Knosel' s fertilizers. 



Analyses and valuations of commercial fertilizers, J. P. Street, W. P. 

 Allen, and V. J. Carberry (New Jersey sins. />'///. 777, pp. 4,;). — This is the second 

 report on fertilizer inspection during 1904, the first being given in bulletin 176 of 

 the station (E. S. R., 16, p. 556). It deals with the inspection as a whole, and 

 includes discussions of trade values of fertilizing ingredients for l u 04 and the com- 

 position of the standard materials supplying them, compares station valuations with 

 actual selling prices, makes suggestions regarding the purchase of fertilizers, and 

 reports results of examinations of 86 samples of standard unmixed materials, 4 home 

 mixtures, 20 special mixtures, and 4.'!4 samples of complete fertilizers. The analyses 

 indicate that the fertilizers were as a rule of good quality. 



