19161 SOILS — FERTILIZEBS. 121 



On the relative numbers of rhizopods and flagellates in the fauna of soils, 

 0. A. KoFoiD {Science, n. ser., 42 (1915), No. 1096, pp. 937-940, fig. i).— This is 

 a brief review of various investigations on the subject by others showing the 

 differences in results obtained. A list of references to literature bearing on the 

 subject is given. 



Soil sampling for bacteriological analysis, H. A. Notes {Jour. Amer. Soc. 

 Agron., 7 {1915), No. 5, pp. 239-249, pi. 1, fig. 1).—A method of sampling soil for 

 bacteriological analysis, as described in the article previously noted (E. S. R., 

 84, p. 513), Is presented, and comparative tests of this method with the soil 

 auger method, the Iowa Station method (E. S. R., 27, p. 720), and the slice 

 method are reported. These tests were conducted at the Indiana Experiment 

 Station. 



Fertilizer situation in the United States, D. F. Houston {U. S. Senate, 6^. 

 Cong., 1. Sess., Doc. 262 {1916), pp. 6). — This is a report from the Secretary of 

 Agriculture in response to Senate Resolution 65, in which the fertilizer situa- 

 tion in the United States is briefly reviewed, with special reference to the 

 shortage of potash and the high price of sulphuric acid needed for the man- 

 ufacture of acid phosphate. The possible means of relieving the situation sug- 

 gested are the production of potash from the alunite deposits of Utah and 

 neighboring States and from the giant kelp beds of the Pacific coast, and 

 the utilization of hydroelectric power for the production of soluble phosphates 

 and of industrial wastes as nitrogenous fertilizers. Work of the Bureau of 

 Soils on the utilization of kelp as a fertilizer and on electrical methods of 

 producing soluble phosphates and synthetic nitrogen compounds is briefly re- 

 ferred to. 



Mineral resources of the United States for 1914. — I, Mineral production 

 of the United States in 1914, H. D. McCaskey (f7. 8. Geol. Survey, Mineral 

 Resources o/ the United States Calendar Year 1914, pt. 1, pp. *l-*69, pi. 1, fi,g. 

 1). — This is a detailed summary of mineral production of the United States 

 in 1914. 



" The marketed production of phosphate rock in 1914 amounted to 2,734,043 

 long tons, valued at $9,608,041, compared with 3,111,221 long tons, valued at 

 $11,796,231, in 1913 ; 2,973,332 long tons, valued at $11,675,774, in 1912 ; 3,053,279 

 long tons, valued at $11,900,693, in 1911; and 2,654,988 long tons, valued at 

 $10,917,000, in 1910. The quantity of phosphate rock reported as mined during 

 1914 was 2,649,174 long tons, against 3,152,208 long tons mined in 1913. The 

 imports of crude phosphates, guano, kainit, manure salts, etc., for consumption 

 were valued at $9,921,439 in 1914, $10,819,253 in 1913, and $8,893,090 in 1912. 

 The exports of phosphate rock in 1914 were 964,114 long tons, valued at $6,771,- 

 652, against 1,366,508 long tons, valued at $9,996,580, in 1913; and 1,206,520 

 long tons, valued at $8,996,456, in 1912. There was no actual production of 

 potash salts in the United States in 1914. The imports of potash salts (not 

 including kainit and manure salts) for consumption were valued at $8,743,973 

 in 1914, against $10,805,720 in 1913." 



Determination of the most convenient formula for the use of chemical 

 fertilizers in agriculture, I. M. Concha (In Primer a Semana Social Agricola. 

 Santiago de Chile: Universidad Catdlica de Santiago, 1914 PP- 3-14). — The im- 

 portant factors involved in the determination of the fertilizer requirements of 

 a soil are pointed out as the law of minimum, the composition of the soil, and 

 the amounts of fertilizing constituents extracted from the soil by average crops. 

 The value of field tests with crops is also noted. 



Soil experiment fields.— A progress report, G. Roberts {Kentucky Sta. Bui. 

 199 {1916), pp. 43-93, figs. 12). — This is a progress report of studies at several 



