618 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The nitric nitrog-en of the black soils of the arid regions of Bussia, N. 

 Tltlaikov {Sclsk. Khoz. i Liesov., 2Jf7 (1915), Jan., pp. 35-65, fig. 1; abs. in 

 Inteniat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 6 {1915), 

 'So. 6, pp. 797-799). — Experiments bes:uu in 1910 on manured and unmanured 

 fallow chernozem soil, and the same soil under winter gi'ain, are reported, the 

 object of which was to determine the nitrate content of the chernozem soil 

 and the conditions influencing it. The unmanured fallow comprised four dif- 

 ferent kinds, viz, so-called "black fallow" land (not plowed until autumn), 

 and April, May, and June fallows (the land being plowed about the twentieth 

 of the respective months). The land was plowed to a depth of 7 in. and soil 

 samples taken at depths of 10 and 20 in. 



Under farming conditions, the accunmlation of nitrates in fallow land began 

 from the moment of plowing and, in general, as soon as the soil was well 

 broken up. Aeration was evidently more important than the temperature of the 

 soil, at least at the beginning of the accumulation of nitrates. The following 

 conclusions are drawn from the results obtained : 



"The black soils of the arid zone of the Province of Samara (and of other 

 Provinces under similar conditions) possess a very strong capacity for nitrifi- 

 cation. Under favorable conditions of tilth and when there is sufficient moisture 

 and a high enough temperature the action of the nitrifying bacteria may be- 

 come very pronounced and large quantities of nitric nitrogen may accumulate. 

 The largest amount of nitric nitrogen is accunuilateil in fallow land toward 

 the commencement of August in the case of aulumn-plowed fallow. Further, the 

 sooner the fallow is plowed ia spring the more nitric nitrogen accumulates in 

 the ground. 



" The depth to which regularly cultivated fallow land is plowotl has not much 

 importance as regards the accumulation of nitrates. Manuring the soil with 

 Qung only increases to a very small extent the amount of nitrates as compared 

 with unmanured fallow. 



" In plats occupied by winter cereals the quantity of nitric nitrogen decrease.? 

 very rapidly. The greater part is used by the growing winter rye or wheat ; 

 most of the rest is evidently transformed into compounds insoluble in water, 

 while finally a very small part may be transported to the deeper layers of the 

 soil (below 20 in.). 



"The breaking up of the soil after the harvest of winter cereals gives an 

 opportunity, iinder favorable meteorological conditions, for the accumulation of 

 a large quantity of nitrates toward the end of September even if at harvest time 

 there was a very small amount of these compounds in the soil. The accumulation 

 of nitrates in the soil, under the conditions obtaining in the black soil regions 

 of liussia, is much facilitated by the fact that all the measures taken by the 

 agriculturist to accumulate water in the soil , . . conduce at the same time to 

 the accunmlation of nitrates." 



Peat lands in Minnesota and Wisconsin, J. T. Stewart {Jour. Awer. Peat 

 Soc, 8 {1915), No. 1-2, pp. 16-22). — The author deals with the general charac- 

 teristics of the peat soils of Minnesota and Wisconsin from the viewpoint of 

 the agricultural engineer. 



The economic utilization of peat and moors, P. Hoerixg {Moornutzung und 

 Torfveru-crtnng. lUrlin: Julius Springer, 1915, pp. XVIII+63S). — This book 

 ■ deals with the economic utilization of peat and peat moors, with .special refer- 

 ence to dry distillation. 



The first part is a general discussion of the origin and formation of peat and 

 peat moors, the methods and rotiuirements of moor doveloimiont. and moor 

 cultivation in European countries and its economic importance. The second 

 part deals with the chemical and physical properties of peat with reference to 



