WATER — SOILS. 233 



Objects and methods of investigating certain physical properties of soils, 

 L. J. BuKios {U. K Dipt. Ayr. Yearbook 1900, pp. ,397-410, jd.'^. 2, fig.s. „-').— This 

 article exi)lains the importance of certain of the pliysical properties of soil — textnre, 

 structure, relation to water and salts in sf)lution, temperature, flocculati(jn, etc. — and 

 describes briefly methods for mechanical analysis of soils and for the determination 

 of structure, water content, temperature, and soluble salts; the methods given being 

 in the main those which have been worked out in the Division of Soils of the 

 I )epartment. 



Conservation of soil moisture, F. T. Shutt {Canada Expl. Farms Rpl.<<. J 900, 

 pp. 154-l-'>9). — Observations on soil moisture at Brandon, Manitoba, and Indian 

 Head, Northwest Ti>rritories, are reported. The plan of the investigation was as 

 follows: 



"Early in the spring on each of the farms two areas having as far as possible soil 

 of a similar character were selected, the one intended to be fallowed during the pres- 

 ent season, and which had l)een cropped in 1899; the second area to be cropped, but 

 which had been fallowed in 1899. Samples from each of these areas were taken, 

 month by month, from May to November, inclusive, to 2 depths — the first represent- 

 ing the upper 8 in. ; the second the depth from 8 to 16 in. These samples, taken in 

 sj)ecial canisters, were immediately on collection forwarded to the laboratory. On 

 their arrival each canister of soil was at once weighed and its contents thoroughly 

 mixed, sampled, and the moisture determined in duplicate. From the average 

 weight of the canister of water-free soil (obtained from the 7 monthly detennina- 

 tions) and the percentage of moisture, the amounts of water in tons and pounds per 

 acre were calculated. The canisters (2^ in. by 8 in.) used were very stout and open 

 at both ends. In taking the samples they were thrust into the ground until level 

 with the surface and then removed with the aid of a sharp spade, and covered with 

 deep and close-fitting caps. To prevent any possible evaporation en route, 'electric' 

 tape was used to cover the edge of the cap or lid where it fitted over the canister." 



The season of 1899 was characterized by a plentiful but normal precipitation; that 

 of 1900 was exceedingly dry during the earlier months of the sununer and unusually 

 wet during the middle and later months of the summer. Under these conditions it 

 was found that the soils which had been in fallow the previous year contained dur- 

 ing jNIay, Jmie, and July more moisture than those which had been cropped the 

 l)receding year, but "there was a constant tendency for the soil moisture in both fal- 

 lowed and cropped soil during the latter months of the experiment to approximate." 



Canadian soils, F. T. Shutt {Ckmada Expl. Farms Rpts. 1900, pp. 148-154). — 

 Chemical analyses of a surface soil and 2 samples of hardpan (at depths of 2 and 5 

 ft. ) from British Columbia, 4 samples of soil from Northwest Territories, and 1 from 

 Nova Scotia are reported, with a discussion of their fertilizer requirements and sug- 

 gestions as to their treatment. 



Soils of the Upper Peninsula, A. C. Lane {Michigan Sta. Bnl.lS6, pp. 4,3-45). — 

 A brief discussion of the characteristics of the soils of the Upper Peninsula of 

 Michigan. 



Soils of Mississippi — plant food and productiveness, W. L. Hutchinson ( Mis- 

 sissipjji Hta. Bid. 66, pp. 2.3, Jigs. 5). — Tables based on analyses previously reported 

 (E. S. R., 12, p. 1022) are given which show the phosphoric acid, potash, nitrogen, 

 and lime per acre to a depth of 4 in. in 76 samples of prairie soils, 8 of Yazoo- 

 Mississippi delta soils, and 46 of sandy and sandy-loam soils. 



"The results show that the prairie soils, and also most of the soils in the north- 

 eastern prairie region, contain relatively large amounts of the ingredients reported in 

 the tables, which are the important ones. The amount of phosphoric acid in the 

 sandy, sandy-loam, basin, and brown silt-loam soils is relatively small, and it is on 

 these lands that commercial fertilizers are constantly used under all crops. These 

 lands should also have the benefit of stable mamire and cowpeas, with superi)hos- 

 phatcs under crops following the cowpeas. 



