818 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



jsoil, but also upon tho quality of the organic matter present, as well as on the 

 presence of soluble j)hosphates." 



A contribution on the nitrogen problem, II. Schekblinck ( Handel. Vlaamsch 

 Natutir en Gencesk. Cong., 11 (1913), pp. 192, 193).— A study carried out with 

 a diplococcus, abundant in certain soils and water therefrom, is held to show 

 that during the i>rocess of fermentation organic nitrogen takes part in the for- 

 mation of ammonia. 



Soil bacteriological investigations (Oregon Stn. Rpt. 1913-14, pp. 18. 19). — 

 It has been found that lime seems to increase the ammonifying and nitrifying 

 efficiency of the soils of western Oregon in a marked manner. The effec-t is 

 less noticeable on eastern Oregon soils. 



[Soil inoculation] (Oregon Sta. Rpt. 1913-14, pp. 19, 20).— Direct benefit 

 was derived in 69 per cent of the cases in which cultures of bacteria, sent out 

 by the station in 1912 for the inoculation of legumes, were used. 



The results of some experiments with farmyard manure, R. A. Berry 

 (West of Scot. Agr. Col. Bui. 65 (1914), PP- 111-251, figs. 4).— Experiments 

 extending over a number of years on the storage of manure under cover and 

 in the field, on the storage of different kinds of fresh manure in heaps in the 

 field, on the treatment of manure during storage, and on times and methods of 

 applications of manure, and comparing fresh v. rotted manure and large v. small 

 applications of manure are reported. 



When stored for four months in well trodden heaps the indoor manure lost 

 17.5 per cent in weight and the outdoor manure 20.6 per cent, with an average 

 annual rainfall of 39.32 in. The indoor manure lost 20.4 per cent of its nitrogen 

 and practically none of its phosphoric acid and iwtash. while the outdoor lost 

 28.4 per cent of its nitrogen. 21.1 of its phosphoric acid, and 28.3 of its potash. 

 The rotted manures were in each case poorer in total and available nitrogen 

 than the fresh, the losses in this respect being greater in the outdoor than in 

 the indoor manure. The greatest loss was in ammoniacal nitrogen, amounting 

 to from 70 to 80 per cent of that of the fresh manure, 18 per cent of the total 

 nitrogen of which was in ammoniacal form. There was a slight increase of 

 amid and of insoluble nitrogen in the rotted manure. There was no loss of 

 phosphoric acid and potash where there was no drainage. The average increase 

 of crop (potatoes and turnips) in favor of manure stored under cover was 7 

 per cent. 



The average loss in weight of horse manure with peat moss and with straw 

 litter, cow manure, steer manure, and pig manure stored in the open for four 

 months (December to March) was 22.3 per cent. With the moss litter the loss 

 from horse manure was much less than with straw (12.6 and 14.9 per cent, 

 respectively). The two fresh manures richest in nitrogen, namely, those from 

 fattening steei's and from horses (with peat moss litter), were left poorer in 

 this constituent after rotting, while the fresh manures relatively poor in nitro- 

 gen, namely, those from cows, pigs, and horses (with straw litter) in the order 

 named were left slightly richer in total nitrogen after rotting. In the rotted 

 manure on the average 4 per cent of the total nitrogen was ammoniacal and 82 

 per cent insoluble as compared with 15 and 72 per cent, respectively, in the fresh 

 manure. Forty-four per cent of the phosphoric acid and 71 per cent of the 

 potash in the rotted manure was soluble in water as compared with 53 and 76 

 per cent, respectively, in the fresh. "The average loss of manurial constitu- 

 ents in the five manures during rotting was: Total nitrogen, 29.6 per cent; 

 total phosphoric acid, 12.2 per cent: total potash, 33.5 per cent." Rotting in 

 every case lowered the fertilizing value of the manure as measured by its power 

 of supplying available fertilizing constituents. This was borne out by experi- 

 ments with potatoes and turnips. 



