22 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.41 



able than a somewhat similar fertilizer applied to corn, oats, and wheat. The 

 application of 5 tons of farm manure per acre to each of three timothy crops also 

 proved to be more effective than an application of 15 tons to corn alone. 

 Doubling the amount of manure applied to both grass and corn resulted in in- 

 creased yields of crops, but not in proportion to the cost of the treatment. The 

 use of potash in conjunction with sodium nitrate and acid phosphate on grass 

 appeared to be profitable at prewar prices. 



A brief outline of the technical procedure followed in conducting the experi- 

 ments is appended. 



Experiments with, various nitrogenous fertilizers, E. A. Mitscheblich, 

 S. VON Saxjcken, and F. Iffland {Jour. Land^v., 66 (1918), No. S, pp. 187-198, 

 pi. 1, fig. 1). — Sand culture experiments with oats conducted during 1917 and 

 1918 are described, in which observations were made upon the relative value 

 of different nitrogen carriers, with particular reference to urea and urea nitrate. 

 The fertilizers were applied in varying amounts, both before seeding and one- 

 third at the time of seeding, with the remainder as a top-dressing, one-half being 

 applied upon the formation of the fourth leaf and one-half upon the appearance 

 of the panicle. The yields of grain and straw are presented in tabular form. 



The conclusion is reached that both urea and urea nitrate are as effective as 

 the usual nitrogen carriers (sodium nitrate, calcium cyanamid, ammonium sul- 

 phate, and ammonium nitrate), and that urea nitrate may be used to advan- 

 tage for top-dressing. 



The influence of the mechanical composition of the soil on the availability 

 of nitrate of soda and dried blood, .1. G. Lipman and A. W. Blair {New Jersey 

 mas. Rpt. 1917, pp. 335-350, pis. 2, figs. 3).— Further observations (E. S. R., 39, 

 p. 726) on the relative availability of nitrate of soda and dried blood to barley 

 and a residual crop of buckwheat when applied in equivalent amounts to cylin- 

 ders containing shale soil and different mixtures of shale and sand have led to 

 the following conclusions : 



For all soil combinations the average recovery of niti-ogen from nitrate of 

 soda by the main crop was 60.53 per cent and from dried blood 30.98 per cent. 

 With the buckwheat the average recovery of nitrogen was 2.47 per cent for the 

 nitrate and 10.57 per cent for the dried blood cylinders. The dried blood showed 

 an availability of 68.2 on the basis of 100 for the nitrate. 



" From these results, and likewise from the results secured for a period of 

 years, it is quite clear that nitrate of soda can not be counted on to show much 

 residual effect. Dried blood, on the other hand, does show some residual effect 

 on both heavy and light soils. However, the initial effect of the nitrate is 

 almost always sufficiently above that of the blood to place the former in first 

 rank when the combined crops — that is, the first crop and the residual crop — 

 are taken into consideration. A pound of nitrat* nitrogen produces more dry 

 matter than a pound of dried blood nitrogen, and therefore, in most cases, is 

 worth more. 



" The nitrogen of the soil organic matter is more completely utilized in a 

 light soil than it is in the heavier types." 



The present status of nitrogen fixation, A. H. White (Jour. Indus, and 

 Engin. Cliem., 11 {1919), No. 3, pp. 231-237, figs. 3; Sci. Amcr. Sup., 87 {1919), 

 No. 226.'i, pp. 330, 331, fig. 1). — The present status of the development of 

 the arc, cyanamid. nitride, direct synthetic ammonia, and cyanid processes is 

 reviewed. Diiigi*ams are given showing the world's production and consumption 

 of fixed inorganic nitrogen (including Chilean nitrate). 



Production doubled from 1909 to 1917, largely as a result of the great demand 

 for nitrogen compounds in munitions making. There was, however, no greater 

 Increase in production during the war than in the period immediately preceding 



