SOILS FERTILIZERS. -23 



compounds increased without any consistent and well defined corresponding 

 increase of the plant growth. 



" The data secured do not permit the establishment of any definite mini- 

 mum relation between the intake of phosi^horus and potassium and the dry 

 matter produced. The results secured indicate that what a given crop con- 

 tains of certain elements is not necessarily to be regarded as a measure of 

 what must be supplied in order to meet the needs for maximum growth." 



Action of fermenting manure on reenforcing phosphates, W. E. Totting- 

 HAM and C. Hoffman (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 5 {1913), No. 3, pp. 

 • 199-209, figs. 3). — Investigations are here reported in some detail which 

 showed that fermentation for from 4 to 6 months caused a decrease of water- 

 soluble phosphoric acid in manures and mixtures of manures with rock phos- 

 phate. This was apparently due, in part at least, to other changes than 

 simple reversion to insoluble phosphates. The addition of chloroform or form- 

 aldehyde, which practically inhibited bacterial action, greatly reduced the loss 

 of water-soluble phosphoric acid in mixtures of manure and rock phosphate. 



" Dry bacterial cells of manure organisms grown on agar media contained 

 from 4 to S per cent phosphoric acid. The growth of manure organisms upon 

 media supplied with the soluble phosphorus of fresh manure-rock phosphate 

 mixtures depressed the water-soluble phosphorus of the media by amounts 

 which were comparable to the losses of water-soluble phosphorus observed in 

 fermenting manures. About one-half the phosphorus of fresh intact bacterial 

 cells was soluble in water. This phosphorus was apparently derived chiefly 

 from inorganic phosphates adsorbed from the media. The remaining phos- 

 phorus of the cells was probably pi*esent in nuclein compounds. 



"Acid phosphate incorporated with fermenting manure underwent essentially 

 the same changes of solubility as did rock phosphate. In the presence of 

 chloroform, however, the acid phosphate decreased markedly in solubility, 

 while with rock phosphate no decrease occurred. 



"Application of monocalcium phosphate to barley in pot experiments gave 

 greater immediate returns when the phosphate was applied with previously fer- 

 mented manure than when it was applied in a fermented mixture of manure 

 and phosphate. The immediate returns from tricalcium phosphate were the 

 same whether it was applied with previously fermented manure or in a fer- 

 mented mixture. A second crop of barley from the original application of 

 reenforced manures gave a superior yield from the fermented mixture for 

 both phosphates. 



" So far as pot experiments indicate conditions in field practice, the final 

 results from mixing rock phosphate with fermenting manure appear to be 

 advantageous. In the case of acid phosphate it appears inadvisable to mix 

 the material with fermenting manure. It is probably better practice to add 

 it to the manure at the time of application to the field." 



Nitrogenous fertilizers for field crops, L. Malpeaux (Jour. Agr. Prat., 

 n. ser., 25 {1913), Nos. 7, pp. 205-201; 8, pp. 237, 238; Bol. Agr. Tec. y Econ., 5 

 {1913), No. 49, pp. 75-Sl). — Comparative tests of sodium and calcium nitrates, 

 annnonium sulphate, and calcium cyanamid on oats, potatoes, and beets in 1912 

 are reported. 



On oats sodium and calcium nitrates were about equally effective. Calcium 

 cyanamid was somewhat less effective, but about equal to ammonium sulphate. 

 On potatoes and sugar beets calcium nitrate was somewhat more effective than 

 sodium nitrate. Calcium cyanamid was less effective as regards total yield 

 than ammonium sulphate on potatoes and both were inferior to the nitrates on 

 potatoes and sugar beets, although the highest yield of sugar was obtained with 

 95099°— No. 1—13 3 



