630 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. [Vol.35 



tons ; ordinary dry yard maniire, 14 tons ; and yard manure, 14 tons plus 300 

 lbs. ammonium sulphate." 



It was found that " the plats receiving composted manure showed nearly 

 twice as much water-soluble potash in the surface foot as any of the other plats. 

 The seasonal averages of this element were not influenced by any other fertilizer 

 treatment. There was a general decrease in the quantity of water-soluble 

 potash from the middle of May till about the middle of July. After that time, 

 the quantity increased to approximately the amount found earlier in the season. 



" Plats receiving nitrate, superphosphate, and composted manure all showed 

 less water-soluble phosphoric acid than the checlis. None of the fertilizer treat- 

 ments resulted in a marked increase in water-soluble phosphates, though cyana- 

 mid, bone meal, and manure plus ammonium sulphate caused a small increase. 

 The variation in water-soluble phosphorus from weeli to week was less than that 

 of any other element measured. 



" Taking account of the sulphur added in the various fertilizers, none of the 

 treatments apparently had any marked influence in rendering the sulphates in 

 the soil more soluble in water. There was a decrease in the amount of soluble 

 sulphates from the early part of the season till the latter part of July, corre- 

 sponding in general to the seasonal decrease in soluble potash. 



" The amounts of water-soluble manganese were very small and disappeared 

 entirely after the middle of June. The plats receiving nitrate, composted 

 manure, waste lime, and manure plus ammonium sulphate, showed the highest 

 manganese content. It is remarked . . . that the sugar beets grown on plats 

 showing the highest amounts of water-soluble manganese and sulphur gave the 

 highest yields and the most sugar per acre." 



New experiments on the action of lime nitrog'en, A. Stxttzee and W. Hatjpt 

 (Jour. Landiv., 63 {1915), No. If, pp. 385-387). — Pot experiments with oats and 

 white mustard on soil consisting of equal parts of loam and quartz sand are 

 reported, the purpose of which was to determine the fertilizing value of the 

 nitrogen compounds of lime nitrogen which were insoluble in water. The resi- 

 due resulting from treatment of lime nitrogen with an excess of water and with 

 sufficient hydrochloric acid to produce an acid reaction in the solution was 

 used. One kg. of lime nitrogen yielded 24.1 gm. of insoluble residue containing 

 about 7 per cent of nitrogen. This was used in amounts equivalent to 0.8 gm. 

 of nitrogen per pot. 



It was found that the nitrogen was well utilized by mustard, the utilization 

 in one case being unexpectedly high. The same results were obtained with 

 oats. These results are taken to indicate that this part of the lime nitrogen 

 does not decrease crop yield. 



Accumulated fertility in grass land in consequence of phosphatic man\ir- 

 ing:, II, W. SoMEKViLLE (Jouv. Bd. Agr. [London], 22 (1916), No. 12, pp. 1201- 

 1209, pi. 1). — In a second report on these experiments (E. S. R., 32, p. 331), it 

 was found that " when basic slag is used on grass land the increase of herbage, 

 or of meat or milk, does not represent the whole of the benefits. Concurrently 

 with such increase there is improvement in the fertility of the soil. . . . The 

 extent of the accumulation of fertility depends on the amount of slag used, 

 on the period of time during which it acts, and on the way in which the land 

 responds to it. . . . The fertility that is accumulated seems to be largely due 

 to nitrogen stored up by leguminous plants, though increase in nonleguminous 

 humus is probably not without influence. Residues of slag appear also to play 

 some small part in the result." 



Tlie action of potash, fertilization on the water requirements of plants 

 and on the water content of soil, O. von Seelhobst (Jour. Landw., 63 (1915), 

 No. 4, pp. 3^5-356). — The work of others bearing on the subject is reviewed and 



