836 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



The methods of fertihzing practiced on the different islands is briefly explained, 

 special attention being given to the use of sodium nitrate, which, when applied in 

 large amounts, " has been observed in many instances to induce an abnornal and 

 undesirable growth, which retarded the ripening of the cane, and resulted in juices 

 of low purity and low sugar content. On the other hand, this selfsame stimulating 

 property has been of the greatest service to yellow and ' nitrogen-hungry ' cane, and 

 with the application of small amounts of this material wonderful tonic effects have 

 been produced in an extremeh' short space of time." It has also proved useful as a 

 means of delaying tasseling. 



The value of some city wastes as fertilizers {Maryland Agr. Col. Quart., 

 1901, No. 14, pjy. S-6). — The wastes considered are night soil, garbarge, street sweep- 

 ings, and ashes. The method of utilizing the contents of Baltimore sinks and cess- 

 pools for fertilizing purposes is described, and analyses of 4 samples of the mate- 

 rial are reported. "The absence of a sewage sj^stem in Baltimore renders necessary 

 the use of sinks and cesspools. When these are filled the contents are pumped out 

 into tank wagons and liarrels made especially for the purpose. It is then hauled to 

 the wharf and emptied into covered barges holding from 100 to 200 tons. The barges 

 are towed to various points where reservoirs have been built, into which they are 

 emptied by means of a powerful steam pump. The rule is to locate the receiving 

 reservoirs on a bank at such an elevation that they may be emptied by gravity on 

 merely opening a gate, or, at most, by only elevating the material to a trough near 

 the top of the reservoir. The reservoirs are simply excavations in the ground, the 

 removed earth being used to elevate the edges, and clay from the bottom lining the 

 sides. . . . Each patron of the system has his own receiver and uses the contents 

 when convenient. The contents of the reservoirs are drawn off into tank wagons 

 and distributed on the land Ijefore the crop is planted. The material is locally 

 called 'soup,' and its application 'souping.' The ease of application and ready 

 response to this fertilizer cause it to be highly esteemed by those who are using it." 



The average composition of the samples examined was as follows: Water, 97.32 per 

 cent; phosphoric acid, 0.07 per cent; potash, 0.13 per cent; and nitrogen, 0.4-4 per 

 cent. Analyses of street sweepings compiled from a bulletin of the Division of 

 Chemistry of this Department are given and briefly discussed, and the fertilizing 

 value of ashes is referred to. 



The bacteria occurring in manure and their role in its decomposition, S. 

 Severin {Centhl. Eaht. n. Par., 2. Alt., 7 {1001), No. 11, pj^. 3G9-S86).— The author 

 here reports a continuation of previous studies (E. S. R., 10, p. 35) on the rapidity 

 with which certain organisms found in manure set free carl)on dioxid and ammonia 

 from a mixture of horse manure and urine (150 gm. fresh excrement, 15 gm. straw, 

 50 cc. urine, and 50 cc. water). The oxidation of the manure was most rapid in 

 fresh manure in the first stages of decomposition, the process being here due almost 

 entirely to aerobic organisms found in the manure at the beginning of the process. 

 After the first stages of decomposition the aerobic organisms remain more or less 

 inactive and the process is continued by anaerobes, the activity of the latter being 

 promoted by conditions which are unfavorable to the activity of the aerobes, siach as 

 the covering of the heap with a fresh layer of manure or the accumulation of carbon 

 dioxid in the manure. The evolution of ammonia was as active during the last half 

 of the period of the experiment as during the first. The total amount evolved dur- 

 ing 7 months in the 265 gm. of manure mixture referred to alcove was 0.0424 gm. 

 The activity of the different organisms in this respect was very variable. 



Experiments with precipitated calcium phosphate, 11. (J. Soderbaum (A". 

 Landt. Akad. Handl. Tldskr., 40 {1001), No. 2, pp. 109-121).— The author conducted 

 pot experiments with Probsteier oats under different systems of fertilization, for the 

 purpose of determining the value of precipitated calcic phosphate ]n-epared elec- 

 trolytically from apatite, as compared with Thomas slag and siiper2)hosphate. The 



