622 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Nitrogen utilization in field and cylinder experiments, II, J. G. Lipman, 

 H. C. McLean, A. W. Blair, and L. K. Wilkins {New Jersey Stas. Bui. 281 

 (191^), pp. 5-19, pis. 4)- — The substance of this bulletin has been noted from 

 the report of the stations for 1914 (E. S. R., 34. p. 130). 



The effect of sulphate of ammonia on soil, R. W. Rupbecht and F. W. 

 Morse (Massachusetts Sta. Bui. 165 {1915), pp. 73-90). — Experiments with a 

 soil which received only chemical fertilizers for 33 years are reported, the pur- 

 pose being to determine the changes produced by the long-continued use of 

 ammonium sulphate. 



Treatment of tlie soil with tenth-normal, normal, 2.5 times normal, and 5 times 

 normal solutions of ammonium sulphate and analyses of the drainage water 

 from the fertilized plats showed that calcium sulphate is readily formed and 

 removed when lime is present in the soil, while after the exhaustion of the lime 

 the salts of iron and aluminum are formed. The absorption of ammonia from 

 ammonium sulpliate solutions increased with the increase in concentration of 

 the solution, but not proportionally. Soils previously fertilized with ammonium 

 sulphate without lime absorbed le.ss ammonia than did other soils. The absori)- 

 tion of dyes by these soils was similar to the absorption of ammonia. Anuno- 

 nium sulphate seemed to have no solvent action on sodium or potassium in the 

 soil in the presence of suflicient quantities of lime, but showed a slight solvent 

 action on potassium in the absence of lime. All the soil extracts were of 

 neutral reaction and it is thought probable that the use of ammonium sulphate 

 does not cause the accumulation of sulphates in soil. The infertility of soils 

 continuously fertilized with ammonium sulphate is attributed to the final for- 

 mation of the .salts of iron and aluminum. 



Solution culture studies with rye, barley, and red clover, using extracts from 

 limed and unlimed soils, treatetl as notetl above, showed that the best growths 

 occurred in extracts from limed soils. Culture studies previously noted (E. S. 

 K., 33. p. 328) are briefly reviewed to show the injurious action of iron and 

 aluminum sulphate solutions on the roots of .seeiUing plants. 



The action of calcium nitrate and sodium nitrate, O. Reitmaib (Ztsrhr. 

 Landir. Ycrsuchsir. Osterr., 17 {1914), ^'o. 10-11, pp. 729-S07, pi. i).— The re- 

 sults of 190 field experiments on representative soils in different parts of Austria 

 and Hungary, with oats, rye. potatoes, beets, and corn, to determine the relative 

 fertilizing values of Norwegian calcium nitrate and Chilean sodium nitrate when 

 added to hay crops at the rates of 120 and 100 kg. per hectare (107 and SO lbs. 

 per acre) and to root crops at the rates of 240 and 200 kg. per hectare, respec- 

 tively, are reported. 



It was found that in the majority of cases sodium nitrate had a greater 

 fertilizing action than calcium nitrate, this being quite marked in some cases 

 especially with root crops. Considering crop yield and cost of fertilizaton and 

 taking the value of sodium nitrate as 100 for all crops, the corresponding values 

 for calcium nitrate were for rye 89.6, oats 90.6, potatoes 83.4, beets 85.7, and 

 corn 75.2. 



Lime nitrogen and its value as a top-dressing, M. Hoffmann {Dcut. 

 Lauflw. P/T.s.sr. J,2 {1915), Xo. 56. pp. 489. i'»(^).— This article includes a brief 

 discussion of the manufacture of lime nitrogen and other synthetic nitrogenous 

 fertilizers, and a summary of 114 experiments by others with winter rye, winter 

 wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes, comparing sodium nitrate, ammonium sul- 

 phate, and lime nitrogen as top-dressings. In these experiments, taking the 

 ^alue of sodium nitrate at 100, with rye ammonium sulphate averaged in 68 

 cases 75.7 and lime nitrogen in 33 cases 72.9; with wheat ammonium .sulphate 

 averaged in ,30 cases 75.7 and lime nitrogen in six cases 79.1 ; with barley 

 ammonium sulphate averaged in seven cases 77.1 and lime nitrogen in one case 



