518 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. 



toutaiueil before the experiment 0.59 per cent of salts, and after the experiment 

 (i.(>l per cent, while the lowest three sections, the salt content of which was 

 originally 1.95 per cent, retained at the end of the experiment, respectively, 

 0.09, 0.00, and 0..33 per cent. The snrface of the soil in the tnbe presented the 

 tyi)ical appearance of alkali land. 



An examination of the water content in the different sections of the soil after 

 the water had risen to the snrface showed that only near the sonrce of the water 

 supply was the soil completely saturated, while the upper layers contained only 

 about one-half of their full capacity. 



On comparing the rate of the movement of the water in a vertical and in a 

 horizontal tube it was found that the same distance was covered in a horizontal 

 tube in an hour as would take a month in a vertical tube. 



Effect of carbon bisulphid on soils and plants, M. A. Egorov {Zhur. Opuitn. 

 Agron. [Rtiss. Jour. Expt. Landw.], 9 {1008), No. J, pp. 3'j-9-'>; ahs. in Jour. 

 Chem. Soc. [London], 9-'f {J908), No. 5)7, IT, p. ^i21). — The author's experiments 

 show that the capacity of the soil for moisture is reduced by treatment with 

 carbon bisulphid and that the particles of the treated soil are less easily mois- 

 tened than those of untreated soil. In vegetation experiments, however, treat- 

 ment with carbon bisulphid increased the yield of oats. On examining the soil 

 after removing the crops it was found that carbon bisulphid still remained in 

 all pots to which it had been applied, proving that the entire growth of the 

 jilants had been made in the presence of carbon bisulphid. 



The favorable influence of the bisulphid is usually accounted for by its action 

 on the nitrogen of the soil, but the author could not discover an increase of the 

 nitrogen content of either the soil or the crop produced. An increase of the 

 nitrogen content of the soil took place only after the removal of the carbon 

 bisulphid. In the opinion of the author the effect of carbon bisulphid consists 

 in stimulating the growth of the plants, and he reports experiments which 

 showed that etiolated germs of Jerusalem artichoke and pumpkin grew better 

 In solutions of 0.03 to 0.06 cc. of carbon bisulphid or ether per liter of water 

 than in pure water. 



Investigations on nitrification, L. C. Coleman (Centhl. Bald, [etc.], 2. Abt., 

 20 (1908), Nos. 12-1 If, pp. Ji01-.'i20 ; 15-11, pp. ^8-^-513; abs. in Jour. Chem. Soe. 

 [London], 9Jt (1908), No. 51,6, II, p. 315; Chem. Ztg., 32 (1908), No. 31, Repert., 

 p. 206; Chem. ZentU., 1908, I, No. U,, p. 1415). — Investigations are reported on 

 the influence of dextrose and other substances on nitrification in the soil; the 

 influence of moisture on nitrification and denitrification and on the action of 

 dextrose in the soil ; on pure cultures of nitrate organisms and the influence 

 of dextrose on the activity of such organisms ; experiments with nitrite organ- 

 isms; the carbonaceous food of nitrate organisms and the assimilation of 

 carbon by such organisms; and the influence of carbon bisnlphid on nitrification 

 in soils. 



It was found in these investigations that nitrification was considerably 

 increased in nonsterilized soils by the addition of small amounts (0.5 per cent) 

 of dextrose, the greatest increase being observed in the second and third weeks. 

 Subsequently the effect decreased and denitrification due to organic matter 

 increased. 



Cane sugar, glycerin, and lactose in small amounts seemed to have a favorable 

 effect on nitrification. Calcium butyrate seemed to have no effect, while cal- 

 cium acetate apparently retarded nitrification. Peptone and urea (0.5 and 0.75 

 per cent, respectively) greatly retarded nitrification. 



Nitrification was most active in loam soil with a moisture content of 16 per 

 cent. It was greatly retarded when the water content was reduced to 10 per 

 cent or increased to 26 per cent. With the higher percentage of water the 

 addition of dextrose was injurious rather than beneficial. 



