SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 719 



5'il, .7},?). — This is tlio author's abstract of an artieio in thi' report of tht; Now 

 Jersey Stations for 1907 (E. S. R., 11), p. 1017). 



Legume bacteria, S. F. Edwards and B. Harlow {AM. in CcntbJ. Bald. \et<\], 

 2. Abt., 21 (1908), No. 17-19, p. 5//i).— This is the authors' abstract of Bulletin 

 1(>4 of tile Ontario Department of Agriculture (E. S. K., 11), p. 1121). 



Beneficial bacteria for leguminous crops, (J. II. Earp-Tiiomas (Proc. N. Y. 

 Farmnn, l'JOt-8, pp. 23-J/l). — This article describes various methods which 

 have been employed for the preparation of cultures of the orj^anisms of the 

 root tubercles of leguminous plants, and reports particularlj' the successful 

 use of cultures prepared by the author's method, in which the attenuated 

 tubercle organism is restored to full vigor by inoculation through a series of 

 young plants in succession. This is substantially a process of selection and 

 results in securing organisms of high virility. 



The resistant power of root bacteria of leguminous plants and its impor- 

 tance in soil inoculation, J. Simon (Jnhrcuhvr. ^'^•r. An(/cir. Hot., 5 (W07). pp. 

 132-160, Jig- 1)- — A study of the culture conditions most favorable to the pro- 

 duction of active inoculation and nitrogen assimilation is reported. Among the 

 conclusions reached is that for isolation of the organisms gelatin can not be 

 dispensed with, but that for the further growth of the organisms soil and soil 

 extract (with the addition of mannite and grape sugar) is preferable. Carbon 

 bisulphid is a valuable means of restoring the biological equilibrium in soils 

 and of promoting the growth of leguminous plants, but its use on a large scale 

 is impracticable. 



Increasing' the yield of crops, especially serradella, by inoculation with 

 Nitrag'in, Wp:stmann and IIiltner (Jahrh. Deut. Liindic. Ge-scU., 23 (HIOS), 

 Xo. 2, lip. 2SI-30S).- — Very beneficial effects from the use of Xitragin, esi)ecially 

 on serradella, are reported. IIiltner repoi'ts that his experiments .show that 

 the addition of nutrient materials at the time of inoculation is not necessary on 

 moor and other humus soils and frequently of no effect on other soils. Of the 

 nutrient substances calcium carbonate is especially effective. Tricalcium jihos- 

 phate, humus, and milk powder are also effective, while superphosphate and 

 lime nitrogen are decidwlly injurious. Mixtures of peptone and grajie sugar 

 have often shown their effectiveness, but peptone and cane sugar has frequently 

 proved decidedly more effe</tive. 



The new agriculture, W. B. Bottomley {London, 190S, pp. 1.'), pi. /. fips. 6). — 

 In this article a brief account is given of the results obtained from the use in 

 different parts of the British Isles of the inoculating material distributed by 

 the author, and reference is made to the possibility of using inoculation as a 

 means of increasing the growth of nonleguminous plants. It is stated that a 

 special culture suited to the Ti-opics has been extensively distributed for test 

 In the West Indies and other tropical possessions of the British Empire, es- 

 IK'clally with a view to increasing the growth of sugar cane. 



The productiveness of the soil, .\. (Jkkooike {Ann. (liinhloii.r, IS (tOOS), 

 .Vo. s, PI). Ji.'t.'t-'pU)). — In (his, the concluding paper of a series of articles on this 

 subject (E. S. K., 10, p. lOir, ; 20, pp. 1(5, 217. 314, 021), the author considers 

 briefly three classes of factors which determine the productiveness of soils. 

 namely, (1) factors over which man can exercise no control, (2) factors which 

 are partly under his control, and (.'5) factors which are entirely under his 

 control. 



The author is inclined t<> Kellner's view that (>at'h plant has siKH-ial ne»'ds 

 which are the ontcimie of its evolution under the conditions of the environment 

 in which it has deveIope<l. and therefore soils may be classified according to 

 the plants wlii<'h they are caiiabic of !)ringing to normal development. This 

 furnishes a sjife basis for the preiiaration of useful agronomic charts. 



