lOi'O] SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 627 



In tests of nitrogenous fertilizers, cyaniuuid gave yields of 18.52 tons of cane 

 per acre, sodium nitrate l.S.<>2, anmioniuin sulphate 17.0;l, tankage 19.62, an 

 unusual sample of cottonseed meal 17.10, and ai'imonium nitrate 17.18 tons. 



Soil fertility iiive.stiKatioii.s, M. J. Tiiomi'son (il/(UH(?so/« Sta., Rpt. JXiiuth 

 Sulista., IDlH-tl), pp. l/f-22). — I'liospiiate-manure fertilizer experiments witli 

 potatoes, rutabagas, and oats begun in 191G showed that with potatoes manure 

 was tlie most effective when in combination with either rock or acid phospliate. 

 Neither kind of pho.sphate was of value unless combined with manure. Acid 

 phosphate ^uve the best re.sults with rutabagas. Both manure and phosphate 

 sliglitly improved the oats grain crop. In the following hay crop the pho.sithates 

 were without any distinct effect. 



Experiments with the same crops using clover as green manure, and with a 

 rotation of barley, Oats, potatoes, and rutabagas on a virgin forest soil without 

 clover or manure, are also reported. 



In rate of manuring experiments witli the same crops very little effect 

 was noticeable from manure applications on potatoes and rutabagas on new 

 soil. The grain crop showed a distinct but small reaction to the manure 

 treatment. 



Field experiments on the availability of nitrogenous fertilizers, 1908- 

 1917, J. G. LiPMAx and A. W. Blah: {Soil ScL, 9 {1920), No. 5, pp. 371-392).— 

 Field experiments conducted at the New Jersey Experiment Stations are re- 

 ported, which were started in 1908 for the purpo.se of studying the relative 

 availability of dilTerent nitrogenous fertilizer materials. The plan was devel- 

 oped somewhat along the line followed for the well-known cylinder experiments 

 which were started 10 years earlier, and a brief summary of the second five 

 years' work so far as it relates to the lime treatment has been previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 43, p. 128). 



The present report is limited to data on the relative avai]al)ility of tlie nitro- 

 genous materials and of nitrogen losses under a 5-year rotation of corn, oats, 

 wheat, and two years of timothy. With slight exceptions, the mineral nitro- 

 genous materials increased the yields, and the average yields of dry matter 

 and percentage of nitrogen recovered were greater than with organic materials. 

 Sodium nitrate gave the largest yields of dry matter and the highest percentage 

 of nitrogen recovered on the unlimed .soils, and ammonium sulphate gave the 

 highest results en the limed soils. Of the organic materials, drietl fish gave the 

 best results on unlimed .soils and dried blood the best on limed soils. Farm 

 manure and farm manure \vitli sodium nitrate gave the largest total yields, 

 but on account of the huge excess of nitrogen supplied by these materials the 

 increases are not considered profitable when compared with tho.se from conuner- 

 cial materials. The supply of nitrogen and carbon was best maintained on 

 those plats which received the farm manure and the farm manure plus sodium 

 nitrate. 



Industrial gases, H. C. Greenwood {London: Jiuillicre, Tindall & Cox, 1920, 

 pp. XVII -{-371, fiys. 23). — In this volume, one of a series dealing with the chemi- 

 cal industries and edited by S. Rideal, a section is included on nitrogen and its 

 manufacture and nitrogen fixation proce.sse.-^. 



Nitrogen fixation by the Habcr method, C. II. .Tonf.s {Chcm. and Metall. 

 Engin., 22 {1920), No. 23, pp. 1071-107.',. fit/.s. 6).— The theoretical consideration 

 of the process of nitrogen fixation by the Ilaber method is given, together with 

 data on the design of apparatus and existing plants, including the U. S. Nitrate 

 IMant No. 1. 



It is concluded that the Haber method is the coming process for nitrogen 

 fixation becatise of the lower cost of manufacture combined with the purity of 



