324 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECOED. 



but varies with the type of soil employed, a marked harmful effect being pro- 

 duced with acid soils. The most consistent beneficial results were obtained 

 with plants demanding a large amount of sulphur. 



New experiments on alkali soil treatment, C. B. Lipman and L. T. Shaep 

 (Univ. Cal. Pubs. Agr. 8ci., 1 {1915), No. 9, pp. 275-290, pis. 4).— Experiments 

 on the treatment of alkali soils ai'e reported which were based on the principle 

 of antagonism between ions and between anions discussed in the two reports 

 noted above, and on the behavior of soil colloids and chemical soil constituents 

 In the presence of soluble salts. 



The soil used contained 0.64 per cent of water-soluble salts, 0.459 per cent 

 being sodium chlorid, 0.098 per cent sodium sulphate, and 0.083 per cent sodium 

 carbonate. It had never been croppetl and had borne only a sparse vegetation 

 of plants resistant to alkali and drought. The different pots containing 6 kg. 

 of the soil received the following treatments: 30.42, 41.76, and 11.02 grains of 

 sulphuric acid, 62.08 grains of calcium sulphate, 6 grains of copper sulphate, 30 

 grains of ferrous sulphate, 12 grains of sodium sulphate, and 300 grains of air- 

 dry barnyard manure. Three days after treatment the pots were planted to 

 barley. 



It was found that the sulphuric acid treatments were especially beneficial, 

 particularly at the smallest application, to the growth of barley. The treat- 

 ments with calcium and ferrous sulphates and barnyard manure were also 

 instrumental in improving very materially the producing power of the soil for 

 barley. Copper and sodium sulphates had no favorable effect on the yield of 

 barley and appeared to render the soil a poorer medium for its growth. With 

 reference to the total yields of grain produced, the smallest of the three sul- 

 phuric acid applications gave by far the best results of all the treatments. Gyp- 

 sum stood second in this respect, while the intermediate sulphuric acid treatment 

 and the manure treatment gave about the same results. The root development 

 was most constant and regular in the sulphuric acid pots. 



In explanation of the causes underlying these results "it may be said . . . 

 that the H2SO4 exerted its influence both in the direction of neutralizing the 

 NaaCOa and that of improving the soil's physical condition through its shrink- 

 age of colloids. In smaller measure gypsum exerted similar effects and in addi- 

 tion thereto exerted the characteristically strong antagonistic effect to the 

 sodium and acid ions which calcium is known to exert in the i^lant world. The 

 effects of FeS04 are to be explained in general as are those of CaS04. The effect 

 of the barnyard manure is probably exerted through the organic colloids pro- 

 duced in its decomposition, which through the enormous surface they possess 

 hold much of the salts or components of the latter in a condition which prevents 

 their ready solution in the soil water." 



A brief outline of further studies along this line, which are to be reported 

 later, is given. 



The dead moor on Steinhude Lake, C. Birk {Arb. Lab. Tech. Moorverivert., 

 1 (1914), No. 1, pp. 1-102, pis. 12, figs. 5). — This paper describes the geography, 

 geology, and climate of the district in Schaumberg-Lippe in which the dead 

 moor occurs, and reports studies of the origin and development of the moor and 

 of the chemical and physical properties of the different kinds of peat, with par- 

 ticular reference to their industrial uses. The new sphagnum peat is the 

 predominating type. 



It is stated that the industrial utilization of the peat must precede the suc- 

 cessful agricultural development of this moor. Analyses of samples of the 

 moor soil taken at two depths (the layer to a depth of about 8 in. and the layer 

 from 8 in. to about 40 in.) indicate that the upper layer contains about 0.7 per 



