FERTILIZERS. 633 



Tliis article gives a description of soils occurring in Essex, their geological and phys- 

 ical characteristics, and their chemical composition. The total amounts of lime, 

 jjotasli, phosphoric acid, organic matter, and nitrogen in 37 samples, and the availa- 

 ble lime, potash, jihosphoric acid, and nitrogen iu 17 samjiles of soils are reported, 

 with total amounts of lime, potash, phosphoric acid, organic matter, and nitrogen in 

 5 samples of subsoils. 



The banana soils of Jamaica, H. H. Cousins {Bui. Bot. Dept. Jamaica, n. ser., S 

 {1901), No. 10, pp. 145-153). — Mechanical and chemical analyses of 7 samples of soil 

 are reported. These are preliminary "to a wider survey of the soil conditions of 

 Jamaica and they will receive a more ])ractical interpretation in the light of the field 

 experiments whicli the l)oard of agriculture has now instituted to cover all tlie chief 

 cultivations of Jamaica." 



Cultivated soils of Sao Paulo, Brazil, (1. D'Utra {Bol. Agr. SCio Paulo, 2. ser., 

 1901, Xo. 9, ]ij). 6o7-o6J). — The percentages of moisture, organic matter, and princi- 

 pal fertilizing constituents in a number of samples of soil from different parts of the 

 State analyzed during 1900-1901 are reported. 



Exhaustion and abandonment of soils ( U. S. Dept. Agr. Rpt. 70, pp. 48). — This 

 is the testimony of M. Whitney, Chief of the Division of Soils of this Department, 

 before the Industrial Commission, and deals with the causes of the abandonment of 

 soils and methods of reclamation. 



Geological Survey of Canada Report for 1898 {Ottawa: Government Printing 

 Bureau, 1901, vol. 11, n. ser., pp. SS5, pis. 25, maps 7).— This report contains accounts 

 of studies of the geology and mineral resources of various sections of Canada. The 

 features of special agricultural interest are analyses of natural waters and statistics of 

 the production of salt, gyjisum, and phosphate. 



FERTILIZERS. 



On the fermentation of the nitrogenous matter of manure, P. P. Deherain 

 and C. DupoNT {Ann. Agron., 27 {1901), No. 9, pij). 401-437). — In continuation of 

 previous investigations (E. S. R., 12, p. 623) the authors studied the influence of 

 variable amounts of alkaline carbonates on the fermentation of manure, alone and 

 with the addition of liquid manure, the fermentation of urea, uric and hippuric 

 acids, and of various albuminoid substances, including egg albumen, gluten, and 

 legumin from beans. The plan and methods followed were the same as in previous 

 investigations. From the results obtained the conclusion is reached that the nitroge- 

 nous sul)stances of manure are of two classes — the amids of the urine and the albu- 

 minoids of the litter and animal and vegetable residues. Under the influence of 

 the manure ferments the nitrogen of the urine, uric acid, and hi])puric acid are 

 completely transformed into ammonium carbonate, the fermentation of the hippuric 

 acid occurring only in the presence of air, while that of urea and of uric acid takes 

 place in an atmosphere of carbon dioxid. These fermentations, however, are not so 

 rapid that litter impregnated with urine may not be added to the manure each day 

 without danger of loss of ammonia, although the litter so added may not be covered 

 until the following day and does not become charged with carbon dioxid until 

 several days after. In the absence of air the fermentation of the albuminoids was 

 very incom])lete and did not occur at all in very alkaline media. During this fer- 

 mentation the larger jjart of the nitrogen was transformed into ammonium carbonate, 

 but a small portion escaped in the free state. The nitrogenous substances gave off 

 during decomposition carbon dioxid, hydrogen, methane, and sometimes hydrogen 

 sulphid. It is on account of the fact that the ferments which decompose albuminoids 

 act with difficulty in alkaline media that the larger part of the nitrogen of manure 

 remauis in the organic state and only a small fraction is found in form of ammonium 

 carbonate. 



