220 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



not fertilized for a long period became rather dense in structure, suffered dur- 

 ing drought, became saturated and sticky during wet weather, dried very 

 slowly, and showed little useful bacterial activity. Its alkalinity was also low. 

 Continuous treatment with either sodium nitrate or kainit produced a dense, 

 crusted structure and reduced the basicity and the useful bacterial action. 

 Continued ammonium sulphate treatment had a detrimental effect on the soil 

 reaction and bacterial activity. Continuous lime treatment produced all the 

 characteristics of high fertility, with the exception of impoverishment in 

 potash, as did also the magnesia treatment to a little less degree. 



Complete fertilization without lime produced results in no way inferior to 

 those produced by continuous lime treatment. There was a most marked ex- 

 haustion of potash with complete fertilization except potash. Mixed fertiliza- 

 tion with stable manure, mineral phosphates, and potash produced only n 

 medium physical structure and somewhat better bacterial activity, but reduced 

 the alkalinity. 



Rye, oats, peas, potatoes, and sugar beets were grown on differently fertilized 

 plats. Winter rye appeared to thrive on all the soils regardless of fertilization, 

 little difference being observed on different plats. Oats required an excess of 

 easily assimilable nitrogen, which it preferred as sodium nitrate. Aside from 

 nitrogen the oats required sufficient potash. 



For a good yield of peas, both potash and lime were necessary, the absence 

 of either causing the same shortage in yield as the absence of both. Potatoes 

 throve best with plenty of potash, and preferred ammonium sulphate to sodium 

 nitrate as a source of nitrogen. A change in soil reaction affected them but 

 little, as complete fertilization without lime and with magnesia did not de- 

 crease the yield. The highest yield of potatoes was obtained with mixed 

 fertilization of stable manure, mineral potash, and phosphate fertilizers in 

 spite of the low alkalinity of the soil. 



For a good yield, sugar beets required each of (1) easily assimilable nitrogen, 

 (2) sufficient potash, (3) high alkalinity in connection with a satisfactory 

 soil structure, and the yield decreased in proportion to the deficiency of any 

 of these three. The beets stood in direct contrast with potatoes, since, in spite 

 of the presence of magnesia, they were badly affected by a deficiency of lime 

 and preferred sodium nitrate to ammonium sulphate as a source of nitrogen. 



Fertilization had a more lasting influence on the starch content of potatoes 

 than on the sugar content of beets, but although both depended largely on 

 potash, an excess of this reduced the quality of the potatoes and improved that 

 of the beets. Phosphoric acid had little effect on the yield of either, but am- 

 monium sulphate increased the carbohydrate formation in both. 



Experiences with commercial fertilizers and manure, W. Lonergan (Ann. 

 Rpt. Nehr. Corn Improver^ Assoc, 4 (1913), pp. 85. 86).— Experiments with 

 manure and fertilizers on a good clay upland soil in Nebraska led to the con- 

 clusion that the use of manure was superior to all other treatments, and that 

 there was little or no advantage in the use of commercial fertilizers on such 

 soils. 



Fertilizer experiments on peaty meadows in Hungary, J. Gyaefas (Ko:;- 

 teJek [Budapest], 28 (1913), No. JfS, pp. 1553, 1554; «&«• *« Internat. Inst. Agr. 

 [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 4 (1913), No. 8, pp. 1194, 

 ^jfP5), —Cooperative experiments in different parts of Hungary showed in gen- 

 eral that the use of a fertilizer containing phosphoric acid and potash gave 

 highly remunerative results. 



The results of experience with fertilizers during the last twenty-five years, 

 Lemmebmann (Illus. Landw. Ztg., 33 (1913), No. 48, pp. 450, 451).— This is a 

 brief review of German experience and shows that the free use of fertilizers 



