SOILS FERTILIZERS. 627 



Tlie use of lime and gypsum on California soils, C. B. Lipman {Galifornia 

 Sta. Circ. Ill {1913), pp. 4)- — A brief popular summary of iuformatiou on this 

 subject. 



New fertilizers, D. Zolla (Rev. G&n Sci., 24 (1913), No. 19, pp. 730-732).— 

 'J'be results of experiments by various investigators with salts of lead, uranium, 

 and manganese, calcium nitrate, and cyanamid are briefly reviewed. 



The influence of catalytic substances, G. Ilivii:RE and G. Bailhache (Jour. 

 Soc. Nat. Jlort. France, 4- ser., 14 {1913), Dec, pp. 782-788).— Series of plat 

 exi)erinients extending over several years to test the influence of sodium arsenate, 

 manganese chlorid, and annnonium vanadate on winter wheat; sodium borate, 

 fluorid, and lodid on spring wheat; zinc sulphate, sodium arsenate, manganese 

 sulphate, and ammonium vanadate on oats; and lithium carbonate, rubidium 

 chlorid, rubidium alum, and ciesium chlorid on beets are reported. 



As a rule the application of the substances named in amounts generally not 

 exceeding in any case 89 lbs. per acre increased the yield to a marked extent. 

 There were, however, in numerous unexplained cases, unfavorable results 

 indicating the need for further careful study of the subject before the use of 

 catalytic fertilizers in practice can be safely recommended. 



Sulphur and iron pyrites as fertilizers, V. Vermokel and E. Danthony 

 {Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., 26 {1913), No. 4^, PP- 651-653; Bui. Soc. Nat. Agr. 

 France, 73 {1913), No. 9, pp. 696-702; Engrais, 28 {1913), No. 7,7, pp. 1304- 

 1306; Bui Agr. AJgme et Tunisic, 19 {1913), No. 20, pp. 307-400; ahs. in Jour. 

 Bd. Agr. [London], 20 {1914), No. 10, pp. 901, 902; Chem. Ahs., 8 {1914), No. S, 

 pp. 545, 546; Internai. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant 

 Diseases, 5 {1914), No. 1, pp. 61-63). — In the pot experiments reported it was 

 found that sulphur applied at rates of from 44.6 to 89.2 lbs. per acre and iron 

 pyrites (containing 50 per cent sulphur) at rates of 89.2 to 178.5 lbs. per acre 

 increased the yields of wheat and beans 30 to GO per cent when used in com- 

 bination with organic matter (with dried blood as the source of nitrogen). 

 They were without effect when used on soils lacking in organic matter and 

 ]-eceiving nitrogen in the form of sodium nitrate. Better results were obtained 

 when the sulphur and pyrites were mixed with the soil than when applied 

 as a top dressing. Pyrites were more effective than sulphur on wheat and less 

 effective on beans. 



The law of minimum {Mitt. Dent. Landw. OeselL, 28 {1913), No. 43, pp. 595- 

 598, figs. 4)' — Tl^e first part of this article discusses the law of minimum as 

 defined by Mitscherlich. The second part illustrates by diagram the applica- 

 tion of the law. 



The use of commercial fertilizers in Canada, L. E. Emslie {Internat. Inst. 

 Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 4 {1913), No. 4, PP- 558- 

 560). — It is stated that "the use of commercial fertilizers in Canada has 

 scarcely passed the initial stage, although in the Maritime Provinces, more 

 especially in the fruit and potato-growing districts, fertilizers have been popu- 

 lar for years. Ontario and Quebec have, during the past five years, been 

 giving the subject more attention and may be expected rapidly to increase their 

 consumption from this stage. British Columbia quickly learned the value 

 of fertilizers and takes high rank as a consumer. This year a Victoria firm 

 shipped a carload of fertilizer to Dawson City in the Yukon. The Provinces 

 of the middle-west will not be heavy consumers for many years to come, 

 although the use of fertilizers there has commenced, chiefly among market 

 gardeners and potato growers, but they are also being used to a small extent 

 by grain growers. ... In the younger Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan 

 the interest in the fertilizer question seems greater than in Manitoba." 



