920 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Ilnoculaticm for leguminous plants]. H. A. IlARi)iiN<; { \'rw York titair Sta. 

 Rpi. nnn, pt. 3, pi>. IIU, in, pi. 1 ). — in a review of the bacteriological investi- 

 gations of the New Yorlv State Station, the results of tests of c«)muiercial 

 c-ultiircs for legnininons idants and of experiments in the use of inoculation 

 and lime in tlie culture of alfalfa are l)riet1.v summarized. 



As already noted ( E. S. K.. 17. p. 04.S ; IS. p. S20), the commercial cultures 

 exaniiniHl were found "wortliless for jn-actical purposes" and the results of 

 inoculation of alfalfa seed were found to he entirely negative. On the other 

 hand, the application of soil from an alfalfa field at the rate of KX) to 20() lbs. 

 per acre almost invariably gave good results. Applications of lime or ashes 

 at the rate of 1.500 Ihs. of stone lime or its eciuivalent per acre were found to 

 be beneticial. 



Fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by pure cultures of Azotobacter. — Dis- 

 tribution of the organism, M. W. PiKmkkixck (A. Akud. Wclciixch. Ainxtcr- 

 dani, l'i(H\ t<cvt. »Sc/., 7/ (I'.IOS). pp. 67-?.'/; nhs. in Jour. Chcm. Hoc. [IaiiuIoh], 

 !>Jf (1908), No. 5'>3, II, pp. i)li), .'^70').— Contrary to the opinion formerly held by 

 him, the author now finds, as a result of improved technique for the deter- 

 mination and study of the distribution of the organism, that Azotobacter fixes 

 nitrogen, and that there is a distinct relation between the distribution of this 

 organism and Icgtnninons plants. 



Investigations on the variation and the nitrogen fixing power of Bacillus 

 asterosporus, U. Rrkdemann {Ceiitbl. Bukt. [c/c.]. 2. Aht.. 22 (1908), No. 1-S. 

 pp. -'i-'i~89, pl.s. 2, fiy-s. 3). — Studies made with 27 cultures of different origin are 

 reported in detail. A bibliography of 24 references bearing upon the subject is 

 also given. 



The mineral nutrients of plants. P. Vagei.er (Die mineral ischen Ndhrstoffc 

 dcr I'flanzc. Leipsic, 1908, pp. VI + UO, flya. 3). — This book, which gives a 

 general survey of the subject, contains an introduction discussing briefly the 

 general relati<ni of animals and plants and chapters on the origin of the ash 

 constituents of plants, the character of the ash constituents and their function 

 in the plant organism, and the application of theories of plant nutrition in 

 practice, that is. with reference to the function and use of mineral fertilizers. 

 Nature and use of commercial fertilizers, G. S. Fraps (Texas Sta. Bui. 

 112, pp. 5-35). — This is a popular summary of information on this subject con- 

 taining specific information as to the fertilizers required by cotton, corn, rice, 

 potatoes, alfalfa, oni(ms. peanuts, oats, and other crops. 



The purchase and use of commercial fertilizers, R. Mar^s (Bill. Agr. 

 Algirie et Tunisie, l.'t (1008), Nos. 20, pp. 1,85-502; 21, pp. 513-520).— This sub- 

 ject is discussed primarily from the standpoint of Algerian and Tunisian condi- 

 tions and crops. The legislation controlling the trade in fertilizers in these 

 colonies is given. 



Influence of the weather on the action of commercial fertilizers, W. von 

 Sycianko (Fiihling's Landw. Ztg., 57 (1908), No. 20, pp. 6.08-7617).— Reference 

 is made to a previous article by Grohmann (E. S. R., 20, p. 311) which main- 

 tained that the results of many of the experiments heretofore made do not 

 permit of reliable conclusions because no exact account was taken of the in- 

 fluence of weather conditions, and an attempt is made to show the direct 

 relation between varying conditions of moisture and temperature and the action 

 of fertilizers as demonstrated by observations on fertilizer experiments with 

 strawberries, carrots, kohl-rabi. peas, and other vegetables in which the results 

 were carefully correlated with the weather conditions. 



The influence of precipitation on the eflSciency of commercial fertilizers, 

 Grohmann (Mitt. Landw. Inst. Leipzig, 1908, No. 9, pp. 1-76; abs. in Illus. 

 Landiv. Ztg., 28 (1908), No. 53, pp. .'{65, If66). — This article is based upon obser- 



