522 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



" The frequent failure of the method to secure at different times similar in- 

 dications res!U"ding the deficiencies of a given soil, even when carried out in the 

 same nnmner, is the most discouraging feature concerning the usefulness of 

 the method. 



" The many instances of disagreement between the results by the basliet 

 method and those secured in actual field practice render unreliable the indica- 

 tions which the method in its present form affords regarding the manurial re- 

 quirements, at least of certain soils. 



" The addition of muriate of potash resulted in a retardation of the transpi- 

 ration as compared with its effect on the green weight of the tops. The average 

 difference in the percentage change according to the two criteria of growth was 

 equal to 10 per cent, an amount of sufficient importance to make it seem desira- 

 ble in work of this kind to adopt the weight of the green crop rather than the 

 transpiration as a measure of the manurial effect of such salts, owing to their 

 tendency to retard transpiration." 



Notes on humus and the best means of supplying it, F. B. Guthrie iAfjr. 

 Gaz. N. 8. Wales, 19 {1908), No. 3, pp. 200-205) .—This article discusses briefly 

 the functions of humus and the methods of supplying it through barnyard 

 manure, compost, and green manures. It also includes the results of some ex- 

 periments in which the amount of material and proportion of nitrogen supplied 

 to the soil in green-manuring crops of vetches (I'oots and tops) were determined. 



Technique of fertilizers, J. Dumont [La Technique dcs Eugrais. Paris, 

 1908, pp. 432; rev. in Chron. Agr. Vaud, 21 (1908), No. 12, pp. 291, .298).— This 

 is an extension and revision of the author's treatise on the Rational Use of Fer- 

 tilizers, published several years ago (E. S. R., 5, p. 109S), and deals especially 

 with specific conditions under which fertilizers may be used with advantage, 

 although the general theories of fertilization are also discussed. 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers, B. L. Hartwell et al. {Rhode Island 

 Sta. Bui. 130, pp. 11). — "This bulletin contains the analyses of such potato and 

 vegetable fertilizers as were found on sale in Rhode Island during the spring 

 of 1908, as well as certain other brands carrying guaranties similar to those 

 usually accompanying potato fertilizers. The analyses of the samples of ground 

 bones which were collected in 1908 are likewise included." 



Fertilizer experiments {Dept. Landb., Nijv. en. Handel, Verslag. en Meded. 

 Dir. Landl). [yetherlands], 1908, No. 1, pp. 1-26). — Experiments with barnyard 

 manure, lime, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, lime nitrogen, guano, super- 

 phosphate, potash salts, and other materials are reported. 



On the nitrification of certain nitrog-enous fertilizers, S. de Grazia {Rend. 

 Soc. Chim. Roma, 6 {1908), No. 2, pp. 40, 41) ■ — Iii '-^ series of experiments on the 

 rate of nitrification of sulphate of ammonia, calcium cyanamid, and dicy- 

 andiamid on sandy, clay, humus, and calcareous soils it was observed that on 

 all soils nitrification was very slow or did not occur at all except in the case 

 of sulphate of ammonia. Denitrification occurred at first and nitrification had 

 hardly begun at the end of 4 months. In case of the dicyandiamid almost no 

 nitrification occurred. 



The physiological action and the fertilizing value of salts of dicyandiamid, 

 R. Perotti {Rend. .S'oc. (Jhim. Roma. 6 {1908). No. 7, pp. 124, i,?J).— Soil 

 organisms grew normally and seeds of wheat, corn, clover, and mustard de- 

 veloped normally in nutritive solutions containing 0.25 per cent of the sulphate 

 or chlorid of dicyandiamid. Injurious effects were observed when the pro- 

 portion was increased to 1 per cent. In pot experiments with normal soil 

 sprinkling with 1 per cent solutions at the rate of 4 to 5 quintals per hectare 

 (about 350 to 450 lbs. per acre) was not injurious, and there was no evidence 

 of nitrogen hunger. There was no evidence that the dicyandiamid was very 



