61g EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



p. 432) this bulletin reports detailed analyses of samples representative of 

 districts in the semiarid and hnmid sections of Idaho, and discusses these 

 analyses with reference to the requirements of soils in fertilizing constituents. 



"As a rule the soils of the State are rich in all of the mineral elements 

 required in plant growth. Certain districts in the south, however, are ap- 

 parently deficient in phosphoric acid. Four-tenths per cent is the lowest and 

 0.70 per cent the highest amount of phosphoric acid found in samples from the 

 south. The average is 0.19 per cent, which is far above the lower limits of 

 adequacy. In the north this compound is more evenly distributed; the low- 

 est amount found is 0.09 per cent, the highest 0.56 per cent, average 0.25 

 per cent. The timber soils of the north appear to be exceptionally well sup- 

 plied with phosphoric acid. In potash the soils from the south ai'e somewhat, 

 in lime they are decidedly, richer than those from the north. Discarding 

 samples which are liuown to represent abnormal soils, the average potash 

 and lime content of samples from the south is 0.61 per cent and 1.90 per cent, 

 respectively ; that of samples from the north, 0.50 per cent and 0.72 per cent, 

 respectively. Certain districts in the north contain too little lime in the form 

 of a carbonate and as a result the soils are slightly acid. This condition should 

 be improved by the application of finely crushed limestone. In humus and 

 nitrogen large areas in the south and much of the burned over timber soils 

 of the north are deficient." 



Analysis of Taniana soils, J. de Verteuil (Bui. Dcpt. Agr. Trinidad, 9 

 {1910), Ao. 66, pp- 237-239). — An examination of 5 soil types from places where 

 native plants were dying showed that the surface soil to a depth of 3 ft. con- 

 tained an excess of magnesia over lime, although the subsoil contained an 

 abundance of calcareous material. 



Analyses of soils of Campinas, Brazil, J. Aethaud-Bekthet and E. Sixt 

 (Bol. Inst. Agron. [mo Paulo], 1909, Nos. 9, pp. 189-193, dgm. 1: 10, pp. 240- 

 247; 11, pp. 814-327). — This article contains results of chemical and physical 

 analyses of a number of different kinds of soils from this region, and dis- 

 cusses the bearing of physical and chemical factors upon the fertility of the 

 soils. 



Characteristic soils of the Habis region in southwest Africa, Gkuner 

 (Tropenpflanzcr, 14 {1910), No. 12, pp. 634-641). — The so-called red soil lying 

 north and west of Habis is described as a slightly humus, gravelly, loamy 

 sand about one meter in depth, containing a slight excess of iron. 



Mechanical analysis showed 5.81 per cent of gravel, 73.5 per cent of sand, 

 and 20.31 per cent of clay. Chemical analysis showed a small amount of 

 phosphoric acid (0.031 per cent), a low humus content (0.339 per cent), low 

 nitrogen (0.099 per cent), a moderate amount of lime (0.294 per cent), and 

 an abundance of potash (0.407 per cent). Of the nitrogen over half (0.057 

 per cent) was in the form of nitrate. The soil east of Habis was found to be 

 very low in phosphoric acid (0.016 per cent), nitrogen (0.066 per cent), and 

 potash (0.014 per cent), and high in lime (15.115 per cent) and magnesia 

 (6.476 per cent), showing a composition which makes it of little agricultural 

 value as compared with the red soil referred to above. 



Soils of New South Wales, II, H. I. Jensen {Agr. Gaz. N. 8. Wales, 21 

 {1910), No. 12, pp. 1036-1055, rn-ap i).— This article deals with soils of the 

 North Coast of New South Wales, including the Manning-Macleay and 

 northern rivers drainage areas. The physiography of these areas and the gen- 

 eral agricultural value of the soils are discussed, and a considerable number 

 of analyses of samples of typical soils are reported. 



The areas contain soils derived from Paleozoic, metamorphic. Carboniferous 

 and Permo-Carboniferous, and volcanic rocks, and from alluvial formations. 



