SOILS FEHTILTZERS. 423 



copious applicafious of pure rain water the more lianly grasses rocoverod lidin 

 the offccts of the siuokc acids and continued to develop. 



Analyses of certain soils in tlie nei^^liborliood of railways and industrial 

 works containing injured trees showed them to be acid, owing to the lime ex- 

 haustion by the smoke acids in the rain water. The trees with smoothest bark, 

 which allowed great quantities of rain water to flow down into the soil, were the 

 most injured. The deciduous trees were more injured than the evergreens, and 

 of each type respectively the beeches and pitch pines were the most injured. 



Analyses of the leaves of the exiierimental trees also served in most cases to 

 indicate poisoning of the soil by smoke acids in rain W'ater. Leaf poisoning in 

 the evergreens was found to prec-ede soil poisoning, while the reverse was true 

 for deciduous trees. The smoke-sick evergreens utilized considerably less mois- 

 ture than normal evergreens and the same was true to a less extent for de- 

 ciduous trees. This is thought to aid in causing the neighboring soil to become 

 acid and swampy. 



See also previous notes by Gerlach and Haselhoff (E. S. R., 20, p. 831). 



The partial sterilization of soils, E. J. Russelx, (Nature [London], D-i 

 {19W, No. 2351, pp. 30S-311, figs. 4).— The author briefly summarizes the 

 results of investigations by himself and his associates on the effect of partial 

 sterilization of soil by means of heat, lime, and volatile antiseptics on the 

 growth of plants and on the relation of protozoa thereto (E. S. R., 29, p. 730; 

 31, pp. 27, 420). The practical application of the results in greenhouse work is 

 also discussed. 



Inoculation for leguminous plants with especial reference to upland 

 moors, A. Densch (Mitt. Ver. Ford. Moorkultur Dcut. Reiche, 32 (1914), Nos. 

 10, pp. 237-245; 11, pp. 253-261) .—T\i\i> article includes a general discussion of 

 this subject and also records comparative tests of various commercial cultures 

 which proved to be worthless. 



Green manuring-, T. W. Lonsdale (Jour. Agr. [New Zeal.}, 8 (1914), ^^- 5, 

 pp. 475-479). — The importance and value of green manuring are briefly dis- 

 cussed and comparative tests of white mustard, Scotch vetch, crimson clover, 

 partridge peas, and rye as green manuring crops are reixjrted. 



The results indicate the high value of white mustard for this purpose. 



Green manures {Bol. Agr. [Sao Paulo}, 15. scr., No. 6-7 (1914), pp. 525- 

 527). — Analyses of five green manures are reported. As regards the quantity 

 of organic mutter and of fixed nitrogen produced they stood in the following 

 order : Canavalia gladiata, Arachis prostrata, cowpeas, velvet beans, and peanuts. 



Results of fertilizer experiments conducted at Summerville, S. C, T. E. 

 Keitt (South Carolina Sta. Bui. 178 (1914), PP- 20). — This is a progress report 

 on experiments at the Coast substation. 



The most important fact established by these experiments is that phosphorus 

 is the limiting element in fertilizers for corn and cotton on the soils of this 

 substation. The relative value of different phosphates for supplying this 

 deficiency is discussed, and acid phosphate is recommended as most profitable. 

 Organic sources of niti'ogen were more effective than inorganic. 



The rational utilization of ammonia (Chcm. Trade Jour., 54 (1914), No. 

 139S, pp. 283, 284; «&«• in Chem. Ztg., 38 (1914), No. 92, Report., p. //.30).— The 

 industrial possibilities of the various processes for converting ammonia into 

 nitric acid are discussed and it is concluded that none of them can be profitably 

 used for the production of ammonium nitrate. "The best solution of the ques- 

 tion, therefore, of producing nitrate of ammonia in the most rational and 

 cheapest way would be to work a factory producing nitric acid by a direct 

 process from the air in connection with an adjoining factory producing am- 

 monia synthetically." 



84079°— Xo. 5—15 3 



