324 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



No direct agreement between the results obtained by the Wagner method and 

 in the pot and cylinder tests was observed, and in many cases the residue from 

 the citric acid treatment was as effective as the original slag. Some of the slags, 

 which were mainly of Belgian origin, were more effective than superphosphate. 

 The results with mustard following the oats showed that there was a decided 

 residual effect of both the slag and the superphosphate the second year after 

 application. 



Basic slag as a fertilizer, W. L. Whiteiiouse (Amer. Fert., 32 {1910), No. 

 9, pp. 7-9). — The composition and fertilizing value of basic slag are briefly dis- 

 cussed, the action of the iron, manganese, and magnesia in the slag as well as 

 of the lime and phosphoric acid being exi)lained. 



After effects of certain phosphates on limed and unlimed land, H. J. 

 Wheeler (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 2 {1910), No. Jf, pp. 133-135). — 

 Experiments extending over several years at the Rhode Island Experiment 

 Station are reported which show that liming was as a rule beneficial in con- 

 nection with all phosphates used except floats, although there were wide varia- 

 tions with different kinds of plants. The phosphates experimented with 

 included dissolved boneblaclj, dissolved l)one. acid phosphate, fine ground 

 steamed bone, basic slag, raw and roasted iron and aluminum phosphate, 

 double superphosi)hate, and floats. 



" The wide differences in yield shown upon the several plats, when the results 

 are compared with those where no ithosphate had been used, show tliat the 

 after effect of floats, bone meal, basic slag meal, and of all of the superphos- 

 phates, is great, and long-continued, both on the limed and unlimed land. . . . 



" Notwithstanding that the floats had been drawn upon less heavily in previous 

 years, by virtue of smaller crops, than most of the other phosphates, they proved 

 far less eflicient on the limed land than any of the others excepting the raw 

 iron and aluminum phosphate which showed a negative value. On the unlimed 

 land they gave, however, a better result than the dissolved boneblack, double 

 superphosphate, or roasted iron and aluminum pho.sphate, and they proved 

 essentially as efficient as the acid phosphate." 



The mining of phosphate in Micronesia, Badebmann {Ztschr. Angew. 

 Chem., 23 {1910). No. l.'i, pp. 6Ji2, 643).— The exploitation of important deposits 

 on Nauru and Palau and other islands of this group is described. 



Phosphate deposits of South Carolina and New Brunswick, G. F. Matthew 

 {Bid. Nat. Hist. Soc. New Bninsiviek, 6 {1909), No. 2, pp. 121-126).— An 

 account is given of an examination of a phosphate mine on the Stono River in 

 South Carolina, with brief notes on a few small iihosphate deposits which 

 occur in New Brunswick. The importance of phosphate from an agricultural 

 standpoint is briefly discussed. 



An effect of drainage, Bi^ler-Chatelan {Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [PaiHs], 

 150 {1910), No. llj, pp. S8J1-886). — ^Attention is called in this article to experi- 

 ments on two soils of similar origin and character in which potash fertilizers 

 produced a greater increase of yield on the soil richest in total and available 

 potash. This anomalous result is attributed to the fact that the drainage 

 was defective in the case of the poorer soil and therefore the physical condi- 

 tions were not favoraitle for the most beneficial effects of the i)otash fertilizer. 



Field experiments with phonolite and the relation of this fertilizer to 

 plant diseases, K. Bromme {Deut. Landw. Presse, 37 {1910), No. 30, pp. 33')- 

 336).— A number of tests of phonolite and other potash fertilizers on different 

 crops with varying results are reported. The author is of the opinion that 

 the silicate may play an important role in lessening leaf curl of potatoes and 

 grapes. 



