22 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.35 



Experiments with fertilizers, F. E. Bear (West Virginia Sta. Bui. 155 

 {1915), pp. 19, figs, i J). —This bulletin gives the results to date of experiments 

 partly reported upon in previous bulletins of the station (B. S. R., 24, p. 716). 



A summary of the 15 years' experiments indicates that every ton of manure 

 applied alone has produced an increase per ton valued at $3.12, and that for 

 every dollar invested in them acid phosphate, sodium nitrate, and potassium 

 sulphate when applied alone have given average increases valued at $4.63, 

 34 cts., and 37 cts., respectively. Sodium nitrate and acid phosphate applied 

 in combination gave two and a quarter times as much increase per acre as 

 acid phosphate alone, and sodium nitrate, potassium sulphate, and acid phos- 

 phate applied in combination gave three times as much increase per acre as 

 acid phosphate alone. Every dollar invested in lime and applied in connection 

 with complete fertilizer gave an increase valued at $1.35. 



It: is concluded that acid phosphate is of great importance as a fertilizer 

 in the State. From the results obtained with acid phosphate and sodium 

 nitrate it is further concluded " that if more legumes had been grown on the 

 soil and the amount of nitrogen in the soil had been increased thereby we could 

 expect a greater i-eturn from the use of acid phosphate on the plat receiving 

 acid phosphate alone." 



Culture experim.ents with nitrogenous fertilizers, A. von Reibnitz (Ztschr. 

 Landw. Kammer Schlesieti, 19 (1913), Nos. 18, p. 536; 19, pp. 567, 568).— Two 

 years' field experiments with sugar beets and wheat on a mild loam soil to 

 determine the relative fertilizing values of lime nitrogen, Norwegian nitrate, 

 and sodium nitrate, when added in amounts equivalent to 15 and 25 lbs. of 

 nitrogen per acre, showed that lime nitrogen had practically no effect on the 

 beets, while Norwegian nitrate and sodium nitrate caused marked and about 

 equal increases. Both the nitrates had a much more favorable effect on wheat 

 than lime nitrogen. It is considered inadvisable, therefore, to use lime nitrogen 

 on beets or to use more than 10 lbs. of nitrogen per acre in the form of lime 

 nitrogen on wheat. It is thought further that lime nitrogen should be applied 

 some time before seeding and be thoroughly mixed with the soil. 



Granulated calcium cyanamid (Norwegian lime nitrogen), S. Hals 

 (Tidsskr. Norslce Landbr., 22 (1915), No. 8, pp. 332-340; Zentbl. Kunstdunger 

 Indus., 20 (1915), No. 21, pp. 264^-266) .—The process of manufacture of granu- 

 lated Norwegian lime nitrogen is described and a comparison of its chemical 

 composition with that of the common dusty cyanamid is drawn. 



The results indicate that the solubilities in Avater of the niti'ogen of the two 

 fertilizers are about equal. The nitrogen in both fertilizers is present as calcium 

 cyanamid and as dicyandiamid, the latter being the prevailing form in Nor- 

 wegian lime nitrogen. The coarser grains of the Norwegian lime nitrogen 

 were somewhat more slowly soluble in water than the finer grains. Norwegian 

 lime nitrogen when mixed with superphosphate had a less marked tendency 

 to fix the soluble phosphate in insoluble form than had cyanamid. 



Acid soils and the efEect of acid phosphate and other fertilizers upon 

 them, S. D. Conner (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 8 (1916), No. 1, pp. 35-40, 

 figs. 2). — Experiments on the efEect of neutral normal solutions of salts on acid 

 soils and of heat and phosphates on soil acidity are reported. The soluble salts 

 used were the sulphate, acetate, chlorid, and nitrate of potassium, sodium, and 

 magnesium, the acetate, chlorid, and nitrate of calcium, and the acetate and 

 chlorid of barium. 



It was found that " various acid constituents of soils show different degrees 

 of reactivity with different bases, also with the same base when free or when 

 combined with different acids. . . . When aluminum silicates are treated 

 with a solution of potassium hydroxld, heat Is developed with the acid silicates 



