19191 SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 719 



[Report on soil work in Washing-ton] {Washington Sin. Ihil. 153 (1919), pp. 

 10, li, 87-58, Ho8. 2). — This describes the progress in soil fertility Investiga- 

 tions for the year ended June 30, 1K18. 



The distribution to farmers of legume Inoculating material in sand is 

 d to have given good results in the held, but to have caused some damage to 

 drills, so that cultures are now furnished on agar media. 



The application <>f straw appeared to have a depressing effect upon nitri- 

 fication. This was overcome in about one year's time, when a beneficial residual 

 • t was noted. 



Observations covering a period of six years on Palouse soil are held to in- 

 dlcate thai the total supply of moisture for the growing plant was not affected 

 by variations in the tillage of the summer fallow, although its distribution 

 in the soil was affected. Moisture held in the surface foot of soil during the 

 warm portion of the year had a favorable effect upon nitrification Wheat 

 yields varied almost in direct proportion to the nitrate content of the soil. 



Moisture and nitrate determinations made on tillage plats at the Lind Dry 

 Land substation indicated that various tillage methods affected the nitrate 

 content of the soil even more than the moisture content. 



Data are presented showing the increase in nitrogen and carbon content of 

 d liferent soils grown to alfalfa for various lengths of time as compared with 

 soils under clean cultivation. The maximum increase of both nitrogen and 

 carbon occurred on Palouse soils grown to alfalfa for 12 years and amounted 

 to 4,150 and 71,500 lbs. per acre, respectively, to a depth of 4 ft. 



The u alkali " content of soils as related to crop growth, F. T. Shutt and 

 i: A. Smith (Proc. and Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada, 3. scr., 12 (1918), Sect. Ill, 

 PI). 83-97, figs. 5). — This comprises a preliminary report on work that is to be 

 continued over a number of seasons in order to obtain evidence as to the limits 

 of tolerance of alkali of various farm crops and to ascertain the extent and 

 manner of distribution of alkali by irrigation, both with and without drainage. 

 ll is proposed eventually to establish standards of safe limits of alkali for 

 Canadian conditions similar to those employed in this country. 



The present paper deals with observations made on five series of soils grown 

 to western rye grass, native prairie grass, oats, wheat, and onions, respectively, 

 each series including areas of good, poor, and no crop growth. Tabulated data 

 showing the nature and total amount of the saline content of the different soil 

 groups for depths of to 0.5, 0.5 to 1.5, 1.5 to 3, and 3 to 5 ft., are depicted 

 graphically for each crop area, and are briefly discussed. 



The translocation of calcium in a soil, B. D. "Wilson (New York Cornell 

 sta. Mem. 11 (1918), pp. 299-324, fi f J$- 3).— Pot experiments are described in 

 which an effort has been made to ascertain the nature and extent of the move- 

 ment of calcium in Dunkirk clayey silt loam soil. The soil in the pots was 

 divided into three layers by means of wire netting, the treated layer containing 

 3 kg. of soil, and t lie two remaining layers 5 kg. each. The investigations com- 

 prised three series of experiments, embracing observations on the effect of 

 different quantities of calcium oxid and calcium carbonate (including ground 

 limestone passed through a 100-mesh sieve and held on a 200-mesh sieve, and 

 precipitated calcium carbonate) applied to either the surface or the bottom 

 layer and leached for six months or one year with distilled water equivalent 

 to a yearly rainfall of 3G in.; the effect of 9,000 lbs. per acre of calcium car- 

 bonate applied to the surface layer as ground limestone in various degrees of 

 fineness and as precipitated calcium carbonate and leached with distilled water 

 for one year; and a comparison of the diffnsibility of calcium in cropped (oats) 

 and uncropped soil treated with 3,000 lbs. per acre of calcium oxid and leached 

 with distilled water for five months. All tests were made in quadruplicate. 



