313 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOED. 



purpose of which wus to determine tlieir absorptive powers for water when 

 pulverized to the following different degrees of fineness : Ten to 20 mm., 4 to 6 

 mm., 3 to 4 mm., 2 to 3 mm., 1 to 2 mm., 0.4 to 1 mm., 0.2 to 0.4 mm., 0.1 to 0.2 

 mm., and less than 0.1 mm. 



From the results obtained, the peat dust made from pure kinds of peat having 

 grains 0.2 to 2 mm. in diameter is considered to have on the average the gi-eatest 

 absorptive pov/er for water. 



Peat litter and nitrogen deficiency, W, Beesch {Ztschr. MoorkuUur u. 

 Torfvertoert, 13 (1915), No. 1, pp. SS-^S).— Data from various sources are 

 reviewed which, talien as a whole, indicate that peat litter, owing to its greater 

 absorptive power, when used in the handling of animal excrement permits less 

 loss of nitrogen by leaching and evaporation than straw litter and produces a 

 stable manure much richer in available nitrogen. 



The influence of lime nitrogen on the germination of barley and wheat, 

 R. Trnka and B. Mysik [Ztschr. Landio. Versuchsw. Osterr., 18 {1915), No. 3, 

 pp. 58-63). — Experiments with a sandy loam soil well stocked with humus and 

 plant food to determine the effect of additions of 200, 600, and 1,200 kg. per 

 hectare (178, 534, and 1,068 lbs. per acre) of lime nitrogen on the germination 

 of wheat and barley, when planted at the same time as and 4, 8, 13, 17, and 26 

 days after treatment with lime nitrogen, are reported. 



The smallest addition of lime nitrogen retarded the germination of wheat 

 and barley planted at the time of treatment. The retardation with wheat was, 

 however, greater than with barley. The medium application of lime nitrogen 

 retarded the germination of both wheat and barley planted at the same time 

 as and 4 days after treatment, but the recovery of the barley was rapid while 

 the wheat recovered more gradually. With the largest lime nitrogen addition 

 the barley planted at the time of treatment and 4 days later was retarded 

 strongly, and the effect was noticeable in barley planted 8 days later. The 

 recovery was also very gradual. The germination of wheat planted at the time 

 of treatment and 4 days later was almost completely inhibited, no germination 

 taking place until after the seventh day in the second case. In wheat planted 

 8 days after treatment only slightly unfavorable effects were noticeable. The 

 transformation of the lime nitrogen into urea, ammonia, and nitric acid oc- 

 curred very rapidly. 



The action of the nitrogen of a new molasses-sludge fertilizer, T. Pfeiffeb 

 and AV. Simmermacheb (FilhUng's Landw. Ztg., 64 {1915), No. 7-8, pp. 177-187).— 

 The worii of others on the fertilizing value of molasses sludge in different com- 

 binations is briefly reviewed, and pot experiments with oats and mustard on a 

 sand soil mixed with loam, comparing ammonium sulphate and a so-called 

 superphosphate molasses sludge fertilizer as sources of nitrogen, are reported. 

 This fertilizer contained 1.87 per cent total nitrogen, 0.08 per cent 

 ammonia nitrogen, 9.21 per cent water-soluble phosphoric acid, and 4.44 per 

 cent potash. Sufficient superphosphate was added with the ammonium sul- 

 phate to place the ammonium sulphate pots on the same basis as the molasses 

 sludge pots with reference to phosphoric acid. 



Greater yields of oats were obtained with the ammonium sulphate than with 

 the molasses-sludge fertilizer, but in both cases the increase in yield decreased as 

 the nitrogen additions increased. This result is attributed in both cases to the 

 presence of an excess of phosphoric acid, it being found that in pots receiving 

 no nitrogen fertilization the yield of dry matter was greater with low than 

 with high pho.sphoric acid fertilization. 



After harvesting the oats, mustard was planted in the pots to determine the 

 after effect of the two fertilizers. It was found that the molasses-sludge fertilizer 

 had a better after effect than the ammonium sulphate. The increase in the 



