SOILS FERTILIZERS. 623 



tlu' actitui of the aniiuoniuui salt. On loam soils tlu> use of as uiuch as 1 i)er 

 eent of lime in the form of carbonate sliowed no injurious effect, but was bene- 

 ficial, esix'cially for tlie second ci'op. 



The causes of the difference in effect of ammonium sulphate and nitrate 

 of soda., V. LoHMs and K. Hlobkl (FiihUng'.-i Landiv. Ztg., J? (t!)OH), No. 11, iip. 

 oSo-'/O^). — The conclusion reached by the authors fi'oni experiments on differ- 

 ent kinds of soil is that contrary to Wagner's view there is practically no loss of 

 nitrogen in the proc<'ss of nitrification in the soil. Evaporation of ammonia as- 

 sumes importance only in certain cases, and as a rule furnishes no explanation 

 for the lower etliciency of suli)hate of ammonia. Interference with the progress 

 of nitrification frecpiently exerts an injurious influence on the fertilizing value 

 of ammonium salts. The absori)tion and fixation of ammonia, as well as the 

 activity of ammonia-assimilating organisms, must be taken into account. 

 Sometimes these exert a favorable influence but are often injurious. The asso- 

 ciated constituents are in part beneficial and in part injurious to the growth of 

 the crop. 



The causes of the difference in effect of ammonium sulphate and nitrate 

 of soda, F. LoiiMs and E. lii.or.Ki.. trans, by A. Konini; {Ann. (Icnihioii.c. IS 

 ( lOOS), \(i. 1.>. III). i!7.^-(;<)!)).—\ Frencli translation of the article noted above. 



The utilization of nitrogen in the form of ammonium nitrate, T. Pfeif- 

 FKR, A. Hepnek. and L. Frank (ilitt. Lnndw. Inst. Brcslaii, // (I90S), Xd. 3, 

 />/). S-ilS-'tO; ab.'i. in Clinii. Ztg., 32 {J90S), No. o-'i, Reinrt., p. 353; Zrntbl. Agr. 

 (hem., 37 U'JOH), Xo. 10, pp. 663, 66.',; Jour. Chcm. 8oc. [London], 9', (190S), 

 So. 553, II, p. 980). — A series of pot experiments with annnonium nitrate 

 is reported, the results of which indicate that this material stands as a ferti- 

 lizer i)etween nitrate of soda and sulphate of annnonla. It exhibts to a certain 

 extent the undesirable properties of ammonium compounds, l)ut under certain 

 conditions it may be as effective as nitrate of soda. In combination with 

 insoluiile i)hosiiliates its action exhibits l>oth the physiologically acid and the 

 physiologically alkaline projierties described by Prianishnikov. 



Tlie addition of phosphates increased both the yield of crop and tlie amount 

 of nitrogen assimilated. Contrary to Wagner's observation, the authors found 

 that the addition of sodium chlorid produced no effect upon the action of the 

 aninionium nitrate. 



Tests of the new fertilizing- materials lime nitrogen, nitrogen lime, and 

 lime niter, I'>. S.fom.kma and .1. ('. dk Uiti.itkk pk Wilot ( if /-.s/^f/. Landhoinrk. 

 Ondcrzock. /iijikxlnndbouirprocf.stat. [Xctherlurtds], 1907, No. 2 pp. 5-50, pi. 1 ; 

 »//*.«. /•„ ./our. Clicin. Hoc. \ London], 9.', (1908), No. 5.'i9, II, pp. 623, 62.',: Zcnthl. 

 Agr. Chcm., 38 (1909), No. 1, pp. 6-S).— Studies of the effect on germination of 

 calcium cyanamid and of the various products resulting from its decomposition 

 in water are reported, as well as pot experiments to test the relative value of 

 lime nitrogen and basic lime nitrate as compared with nitrate of soda. 



In the germination experiments with mustard grown in sand it was found 

 that the free lime and gases evolved by the action of water on calcium cyana- 

 iidd liad no injurious effect. The injury observed was attributable to tlie cyana- 

 mid and l>asic cyanamid formed. No injuri(Mis effect resulted from the pres- 

 ence of dicyandiamid. The Injurious effects were most marked in sterile 

 sandy soil, less marked in case of heavy moor soils and huuuis sand, and not 

 observable In case of sjuidy moor soils. 



The experiments show that lime nitrogen niay exert an injurious (>fTect in 

 two ways: (1) Hy interfering with germination, as exi)lained above, and CJ) 

 by Inducing uidiealthy conditions and finally death at a later period in the 

 growth of the plants. As explained, the first of these Injurious effects is at- 



74021— No. 7—09 3 



