10191 SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 619 



determinations are Indicated. It is stated that these nitrogen compounds 

 changed into other forms with the advance of decomposition much more 

 rapidly than the total nitrogen decreased, and that oat straw and clover hay 

 added as manure had little effect on this change. The amounts of nonprotein 

 and amino acid nitrogen fixed by bacterial cultures in solution were negligible, 

 while bacterial inoculation had apparently no effect upon the amounts of non- 

 protein, amino, or polypetld nitrogen in the soil. These forms of nitrogen 

 showed no tendency to accumulate in the soil under conditions approximating 

 those in the field. 



A bibliography of G8 titles is appended. 



The partial sterilization of soils, G, Truffaut (Compt. Rend. Acad. Agr. 

 France, h (1918), No. 38, pp. 1030-1038, 10.',9-1057; Compt. Rend. Acad. Sck 

 [ Paris], 167 (1918), No. 12, pp. J,33-J,36; abs. in Chem. Abs., IS (1919), No. 2, pp. 

 153, 15/f). — Comparative tests in pots and in the field of carbon bisulphld, pure 

 calcium sulphid and calcium sulphld containing zinc sulphid, naphthalene, 

 anthracene, toluene, benzene, and heavy oils, are reported. 



Treatment of the soil with carbon blsnlphid increased the yields of cabbage and 

 onions and appeared to prevent disease and insect attacks. Pure calcium sulphid 

 also increased the yields of various plants, but calcium sulphid containing 10 

 per cent of zinc sulphid gave smaller yields than were obtained with the pure 

 compound. The other substances named increased the yields of cabbage, but the 

 beneficial effect was less pronounced in case of godetias, crude anthracene in 

 the amounts used even acting unfavorably. Mixtures of calcium sulphid and 

 the aromatic hydrocarbons named were beneficial. The general conclusion is 

 that partial sterilization hinders the development of animal and vegetable 

 parasites, and also promotes the utilization of the reserve plant food of the 

 soil. 



On the absorbent power of dry and moist soils for chlorin gas, D. Berthe-^ 

 lot and R. Trannoy (Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 168 (1919), No. 2. pp. 

 121-123; abs. in Rev. Sci. [Paris], 57 (1919), No. 2, p. 63).— It Is shown that 

 white sand has small capacity for the absorption of chlorin. Yellow ferru- 

 ginous sand has a higher absorptive capacity than white sand, hut is still much 

 inferior in this respect to humus. Increasing the moisture improves somewhat 

 the absorbent power of sand. The absorbent power of humus apparently has 

 no relation to its lime content The absorbent power of moist humus is from 

 two to two and one-half times that of dry humus. 



The chlorin index as a comparative measure of the richness of soils in 

 humus, E. Lapicque and E. Barbe (Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 168 

 (1!>1!>), No. 2, pp. 118-121; abs. in Rev. Sci. [Paris], 57 (1919), No. 2, p. 63).— 



The authors conclude from investigations reported that the loss of active 

 chlorin by sodium hypochlorite in reaction with soils is a measure of the 

 oxidizability and an indication of the humus content of the soils. The oxidiz- 

 able matter as measured in this way was found to decrease progressively with 

 the depth of the soil. Forest soils showed from three to four times the amount 

 present in neighboring bare soil and peat ten times the amount in cultivated 

 soil. 



The authors believe that the method offers a quick means of classifying soils 

 with reference to their probable humus content. 



The composition of the soil air (Rev. Sci. [Paris]. 57 (1919). No. 3. pp. 83, 

 8^). — This is a brief note based upon various investigations, particularly those 

 of Russell and Appleyard (E. S. EL, 33, p. 618). 



It is shown that to a depth of 0.15 meter (5.0 in.) the soil air is very similar 

 to that of the atmosphere, except that it contains a little more carbon dioxid. 

 There are much greater variations in composition of the air of the soil than 



