628 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



trated. The radiating gioaps of calcium sulphate crystals formed in 

 a solution of dissolved bone containing Beggiatoa alba are also dis- 

 cussed, with illustrations, and various experiments with this organism 

 are described. 



Exi)eriments showed that when solutions of monocalcium phosphate 

 or orthophosphoric acid were evaporated to dryness with gypsum the 

 solubility of the phosphate was not affected. 



The action of lime and magnesia in marl and burnt lime, 

 TJlbeicht {Agr. Gheni. Vers. 8tat. J)alime; ahs. in Ghon. Centbl., 1801, 

 II, No. 19, p. 803). — Burnt lime poor in magnesia, heavily applied (710 

 lbs. per acre), decidedly delayed the ripening of oats, while a similar 

 application of gray lime produced much less marked results. This dif- 

 ference is ascribed to the high percentage of magnesia in connection . 

 with lime in the gray lime. Caustic magnesia (burnt magnesite), as well 

 as magnesium carbonate, had a highly injurious effect on oat plants, 

 proving actually poisonous in large amounts. 



This injurious effect was not always prevented by simultaneous appli- 

 cations of caustic lime or calcium carbonate. Barley was more resistant 

 to the injurious action of the magnesia than oats. 



The relative fertilizing value of the nitrogen in alfalfa and in 

 stable manure, J. KtJHN [Dent, landw. Fresne, 21 {1894), Ko. 98, pp. 

 26, 27). — In iiot exi^eriments the author compared the fertilizing value 

 of young alfalfa and of stable manure produced by feeding the same 

 quality of alfalfa to a steer. Tlie steer was kept ou a maintenance 

 ration, neither increasing nor decreasing in weight. After being fed for 

 a number of days on alfalfa alone the solid and liquid manure was saved 

 separately and analyzed. The solid and liquid excrement was used in the 

 proportions produced; 185.05 gm. of solid excrement, containing 0.301 

 I)er cent of nitrogen and 250 gm. of urine containing 1.38 per cent of 

 nitrogen, were used on each pot of the manure series, the total nitrogen 

 supplied to each pot being 4.11G8 gm. 



Each of the pots of the green-manure series received 4.1168 gm. of 

 uitrogen in the form of 565.5 gm. of green alfalfa not yet in bloom. 

 This was applied at the rate of nearly 18,000 lbs. i)er acre, and sui)plied 

 nearly 130 lbs. of nitrogen per acre, the same rate at Avhich the nitrogen 

 of stable manure was employed. 



Another series of jiots received each the same quantity of nitrogen 

 (4,1168 gm.) iu the form of sulphate of ammdnia, supplemented by phos- 

 phatic and potassic fertilizers, supplying 49 lbs. of phosphoric acid and 

 70 lbs. of potash peracre. These last-mentioned fertilizers were intended 

 to offset the phosphoric acid and potash in the green alfalfa and in the 

 stable manure. 



These minerals were also applied to another series of pots receiving 

 no nitrogen. 



Mustard was planted July 5 and harvested August 13, The follow- 



