1916] 



SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 



127 



The composition of wood and plant ash, R. A. Bkkby {Jour. Bd. Agr. [Lon- 

 don], 22 {1015), No. 8, pp. 766-768). — Analyses of representative samples of 

 the ash of certain forest and plant products and of flue dust, made at the 

 West of Scotland Agricultural CJollege to determine their potash and phosphate 

 contents, are reported. The following table summarizes the analyses : 



Ash analyses of miscellaneous materials. 



Kind of ash. 



Total 

 potash 

 (K,0). 



Percentage 

 of total 

 potash sol- 

 uble m 

 water. 



Phosphate 



of lime 

 (CaaCPOOi). 



Bracken 



Spruce 



Mixed forest produce 



Hardwood, engine iire 



Softwood , forest fire 



Hardwood, largely oak trimmings .. 

 Flue dust from blast furnaces. No. 1 

 Flue dust from blast furnaces, No. 2 



Per cent. 



20.45 



11.94 



3.13 



10.44 



11.79 



3.53 



3.75 



3.93 



Per cent. 

 51.9 

 68.9 

 47.9 

 64.8 

 55.4 

 77.9 

 56.8 

 67.2 



Per cent. 

 7.35 

 15.30 

 3.36 

 10.95 

 11.41 

 2.40 

 (}) 

 (') 



1 Not ascertained. 



Composition of bat guano from Uruguay, J. Schroeder {Rev. Assoc. Rural 

 Uruguay, 44 {1915), No. 9, pp. 529-531). — Analyses of two samples of this guano 

 are reported, showing total nitrogen 5.59 and 6.93 per cent, total phosphoric 

 acid 7.45 and 5.54 per cent, and potash 3.14 and 2.78 per cent. While this 

 guano compares favorably in composition with guanos from North America 

 and South Africa, it is said to be too limited in amount to be commercially 

 profitable. 



Fertilizing value of sugar beet crowns and leaves {Dept. Landb., Nijv. en 

 Handel [Netherlands], Verslag. en Meded. Dir. Ldndb., No. 4 {1915), pp. 90- 

 100; abs. in Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 22 {1915), No. 8, pp. 759, 760 ) .—Analyses 

 of sugar beet crowns and leaves are reported, together with the results of field 

 tests to determine the effect of plowing under the beet crowns and leaves on 

 oats and potato crops following beets. The analyses showed nitrogen varying 

 from 2.24 to 2.37 per cent, pho.sphoric acid from 0.73 to 0.78 per cent, and 

 potash from 2.88 to 3.23 per cent. 



At the Lauchstiidt experiment station it was found that plowing under the 

 beet leaves and crowns was accompanied by a marked increase in the oat 

 and potato crops and in the percentage of the larger sized potatoes. The 

 increase in the potato crop was greater where the beet crowns and leaves 

 were used without additional fertilizer. Where leaves and crowns were tested 

 separately the largest increase in potato crop was obtained with the crowns. 

 The potato crop produced with leaves alone was slightly greater than that 

 produced with leaves and crowns together, but was much less than that pro- 

 duced by leaves and crowns and ammonium phosphate or by ammonium phos- 

 phate alone. 



Inspection of commercial fertilizers, 1915, F. B. Mumford and P. F. Trow- 

 bridge {Missouri Sta. Bui. 139 {1916), pp. 58, figs. 2). — This bulletin contains 

 the results of actual and guarantied analyses and estimated valuations of 494 

 samples of fertilizers and fertilizing materials collected for inspection in Mis- 

 souri during 1915, together with a list of brands registered in the State during 

 1915 and a statement of the substance of the Missouri fertilizer law. It was 

 found that of the official samples analyzed 35.5 per cent gave a total value 

 averaging $1.28 a tou below guaranty. 



