FERTILIZERS. 



121 



<rrratcst iit'ol mI" tlu' s()il.>< is ])li(>si)liuric aciil, (lie second nmsl itii|M(rtaiit rciuircinciit 

 iK'ini,' lime. .V eumparison of liillock soils witii tiiosi' of the level <.m"<iiiii<1 showed 

 that the forim-r Hrv iiiiicli more fertile lliaii tiie latter, althoti<rh still in neeil of 

 iiii|iro\X'meiit. 



Humus and carbon in cultivated soils, \. I'aonoii. (/>'(//. ,SV</. Ai/nm. J'us ilf 

 Ciildis, lUOO, }>p. .'/-/.'>). — 111 an examination of Jl samples of soil no lixed relation 

 was found to exist between earhon an<l nitrogen, but a|)|>areiitly the carhon, nitro- 

 gen, and hiinnis di-gree varied in the same dii'ection, although irregnlari\-. 



Investigations on the cohesiveness of soils and on mechanical and physico- 

 chemical analysis, S. von riEozifKi (Mill. Laii<lir. Jti.^l. I'liir. I,iij>.'<ic, jooj, ,\V>. ;^ 

 Pl>. i-r,4). 



Soil temperatures, L. (i. ("akpkntkk {('nlnntiln Sin. Iljii. 1:100, pp. ..'L.'-ji/i). — This 

 is a tahnlatt'd n-cord of weekly observations on soil temiieratnres at different dejitlis 

 in irrigate<l ami un irrigated soils. 



Value of the incidental increment of plant food in soils { Trliii/lnd Jlnl. I>, pi. 

 Bill. Mi.sc. Iii/nriii., l:>01, Xo. ..'7, pp. o:.'.')-.>..'7) . — It is elaimed that plants derive minn 

 more plant food from .soils than eheinieal analysis accounts for. "A large amount of 

 incidental plant food is evidently conveyed I ly rain water. . . . It ajipears i)rol)able 

 also that tile fertility given by the deposited excreta of small animals, birds, insects, 

 and worms and reptiles, and the decay of tlieir bodies npon the ground, and also 

 the decay of Yegetal;)le matter, dust deposited by wind, leaves, flowera, seeds, and 

 branches, etc., is largely in excess of what lias been previously estimated, and in 

 fact is of as nmch importance as food obtained from the reserves hel<l by the soil 

 itself. This must lie known as the 'incidental increment,' and must be taken into 

 full account in all agricultural operations." 



FERTILIZERS. 



The substitution of soda for potash in plant growth, \\ . II. Jokoan and 

 C. (i. Jentek {Xi:ir York Stufi: ,Sl<i. Bid. 192, pp. Soo-360, ph. 6). — The results of 

 previous investigations on this sulijei-t are briefly reviewed, and an accinmt is given 

 of experiments at the station during the winters of 1898-99 and 1899-1900. These 

 experiments were carried on in a forcing house, with galvanized iron pots containing 

 2.5 lbs. of ground quartz rock jjassing a 0.025 in. mesh sieve. Drainage was secured 

 in the pots by a layer of 4 to 6 lbs. of (juartz chips, and aeration was iirovided for by 

 connecting the drainage material with glass tubes extending up the sides of the pots 

 above the sand. One series of pots received no fertilizers. The kinds and (juanti- 

 ties of fertilizing material used in 5 other series are shown in the following table: 



Kinds and innounts offerlUizing materials added to each pal. 



Calcium carbonate was ailded in each case in sullicieiit tinantity to neutralize any 

 aciilily wliich might arise. Tlie crops grown were barley, tomatoes, and peas. The 

 data secured and reported in the ])ulletin include yield and moisture, potash, and 

 soda content of the air-dry crop. The results are summarized as follows: 



