518 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOBD. 



under the oil covering for three months, most of the nitrogen being changed 

 to the ammonia form. These results are talien to indicate that to obtain 

 the best results with liquid manure it should be well mixed with the soil. 



It was further found that nitrogen losses were large from thin layers of 

 urine and small from thick layers. In both cases the addition of solid 

 manure particles and peat litter increased the nitrogen losses. Nitrogen 

 losses were greater from peat-litter urine mixtures in loose condition than 

 when compact. In all such cases some of the nitrogen of the urine was trans- 

 formed into insoluble form, especially in the loose mixture. These results 

 are taken to indicate that urine nitrogen fixation in insoluble form can occur 

 to an undesirable extent in peat litter. It is suggested, therefore, that where 

 peat litter is used for the absorption of urine the resulting mixture be kept 

 dry and practically unaerated. 



Experiment on the action of difEerent air-nitrogen fertilizers, L. Hiltneb 

 and F. Lang (PraJd. Bl. Pflanzenhmi, u. Schutz, n. ser., 12 (1914), No. 11, pp. 

 121-128). — Field fertilizer experiments with barley and potatoes on a stony soil 

 to determine the relative values of lime nitrogen, calcium nitrate, sodium 

 nitrate, ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, urea, and urea nitrate as 

 sources of nitrogen, when applied in amounts equivalent to 0.4 and 0.6 kg. 

 of nitrogen per 100 square meters (about 35.6 and 53.4 lbs. per acre) before 

 seeding and as a top-dressing, are reported. 



Almost all the fertilizers had the most favorable influence on barley 

 when applied as a top-dressing, especially lime nitrogen, which had the least 

 favorable influence when applied before seeding. "When the fertilizers were 

 applied before seeding, plowing in generally proved to be better than harrowing 

 in. The best results were obtained with potatoes wlien ammonium sulphate 

 and sodium nitrate were applied and harrowed in before seeding, but with 

 the exception of lime nitrogen the remaining fertilizers gave the best results 

 when used as a top-dressing. It is concluded that the use of lime nitrogen 

 as a top-dressing may be safely recommended for grains but not for potatoes, 

 as it gave the best results with potatoes wliere harrowed in before planting. 



Experiments with different phosphatic fertilizers on the experimental field 

 of the Norwegian Moor Improvement Association of Mare, J. Lende-N.jaa 

 {Meddel. Norskc Myrselsk., 11 (I'JIS), No. //. pp. 110-111,, figs. 2; abs. in Zcntbl. 

 Agr. Chem., -U {1915), No. 2-3, pp. 96-98) .—Fiehl fertilizer experiments on a 

 humus moor soil with oats and peas are reported, the purpose of which was to 

 compare the fertilizing value of Thomas slag, superphosphate, Norwegian 

 nitrate phosphate (containing 4.18 per cent of nitrogen and 26.87 per cent 

 of total phosphoric acid, of which 78 per cent was citrate-soluble and 3 per 

 cent water-soluble), Norwegian ammonium phosphate (containing 11.69 per 

 cent of nitrogen and 59.9 per cent of water-soluble phosphoric acid), and a 

 Belgian phosphate, of which the phosphoric acid was largely insoluble. The 

 phosphates were added in amounts corresponding to 100 kg. per hectare (89 

 lbs. per acre). 



It was found that the crops responded as well to the nitrogen additions as to 

 the phosphoric acid applications in spite of the relatively high nitrogen content 

 of the soil. The water-soluble phosphates gave the best results, followed by 

 the Thomas phosphate and the nitrate phosphate. The Belgian phosphate, 

 while applied in excessive amounts, had practically no effect. The peas re- 

 sponded most to additions of water-soluble phosphoric acid. 



The influence of phosphatic fertilizers on root development, R. D. Watt 

 (Rpf. Austral. Assoc. Adv. SV/.. i^ (1913), pp. 661-665, fig. i ) .—Observations 

 made at a number of Australian experimental farms on the influence of 

 readily available phosphatic fertilizers on the growth of wheat plants, especially 



