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1920] SOILS FERTILIZERS. 325 



rale of 500 parts to the million of soil -svas nearly all converted into .sulpliate 

 in a niuntii. There was little diflerence in the sulfofyini; power of the several 

 soils, none of them exceeding the station farm soil in this property. 



The question of lime fertilization, 1*. Liechti and E. Tkuninger (Landw. 

 Jahrb. Schivciz, 32 {1918), Ao. 5, pp. 573^88; abs. in Zentbl. Agr. Chenv., 49 

 (1920), No. 1, pp. 13-16). — In a second contrihution to the subject (E. S. II., 37, 

 p. 219), pot culture experiments with oats, red clover, and carrots on acid soil 

 dcfifient in lime are reported, to determine the influence of the fineness :ind 

 amount of lime. Calcium carbonate of live dilTerent degrees of fineness was 

 used, having grain sizes of from less than 0.11 to 2 nun., and was added in 

 amounts varying from 1,000 to 8,(K)0 kg. j)er liectare (890 to 7,1-0 lbs. per acre.) 

 It was found that degree of fineness and amount of application of lime had 

 only a slight influence in the case of oats. The coarse-grained lime in rela- 

 tively large additions had a favorable influence on red clover and carrots, while 

 the fine-grained lime had an injurious effect, especially ou carrots. The depress- 

 ing inlluence, of fine-grained lime on the action of bone meal phosphoric acid 

 decreased as the lime grains increased in size. Lime of 3 mm. size had no 

 depressing influence. The influence of lime on the action of superphosphate 

 phosphoric acid was determined more by the physiological behavior of the test 

 crop than by the degree of fineness of the lime. Fine and coarse grained lime 

 had aI)out the same favorable influence on the nitrification of ammonium 

 sulphate. 



Action of lime on acid humiferous soil, S. Oden (Meddel. Stat. Skogs- 

 forsoksanst., No. 13-1 Jf (1916-17). pt. 2, pp. 1287-1301, figs. 9; abs. in Internatl. 

 Inst. Agr. [Rome], Internatl. Rev. Sci. and I'ract. Agr., 10 (19 JO), No. J/, pp. 

 393, 30.'i). — Investigations conducted in Sweden are reported from which it is 

 believed that vegetation is not injured in soils by free huniic acids but that 

 the acid character of unlimed humiferous soil is due to absorbed organic acids. 

 The xerophytic growth of peat-bog plants is attributed to lack of oxygen for 

 the roots ; accumulation of injurious excreta, such as oxalic and formic acids ; 

 and fixation of nutrient elements by humus and the consequent formation of 

 mycorrhlza as a form of adaptation to the lack of nitrates. 



It is further pointed out that the different conditions found in unsubmerged 

 peat bogs ;ire modified by liming, as the formation of calcium humate not only 

 neutralizes the acid toxic substances but alsx) sets free the fertilizing elements 

 absorbed. On the other hand it is stated that calcium humates oxidize more 

 easily than the corresponding humic acids. Liming on these soils had no 

 influence on the water supply of plants. 



Relation of pulverized limestone to crop production in North Carolina, 

 J. L. BuKGKss (But. N. C. Depf. Agr., 39 (1918), No. 6, pp. i5).— This is a sum- 

 niary of available data relating to the use of pulverized limestone for agricul- 

 tural purposes, with particular reference to North Carolina conditions. 



Borax in fertilizers, S. D. Conner and B. N. Fergus (Indiana Sta. Bill. 239 

 (1920), pp. 3-15, fig. -J). — This bulletin reports investigations undertaken to de- 

 termine under what conditions and in what amounts borax is injurious to 

 crops, and to determine the relative value of German and American potash 

 salts. 



Laboratory and field experiments with corn on different soils of neutral and 

 acid reaction showed that borax caused the greatest injury when the fertilizer 

 in which it was contained was applied in the row. From i up to 4 Ibs'. anhydrous 

 borax per acre produced injury when drilled in the row with corn. Sixteen 

 and 18 lbs. of borax per acre worked into the entire surface soil produced no 

 injury to corn. Borax injury varied with the methodr of application, type of 



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