SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 



1115 



The composition of the soil of these areas as couiparetl with that of other 

 parts of Victoria is shown in the following table : 



Results of (tinili/xcs (if \'ictorian noils. 



Nitrogen. 



Phosphoric 

 acid. 



Potash. 



Rich western district land 



Average northern wheat land 



Average coastal phiin land 



Average hill soils 



Average Mallee soils 



Per cent. 

 o.ajo 



.110 



0.040- .3.'K) 



.025- .150 



.025- .200 



Percent. 



0.150 



.005 



0.010- .100 



.040- .080 



.005- .100 



Per cent. 



0.300 



.300 



0.010- .150 



.100- .300 



.200-1.000 



One prominent physie-al characteristic of these soils is the very slight differ- 

 ence between snrface soil and snbsoil. Potash is as a rule very abnndant in the 

 soils and nitrogen is generally fairly abundant, but phosphoric acid is deficient. 

 Lime is a prominent constituent, in many cases running as high as 10 to 25 per 

 cent. Practical trials indicate that the use of manure and phosphates and 

 thorough cultivation are among the most efficient means of improving these 

 soils. 



On the effect of various mulching materials on the productiveness of soils, 

 Clausen (IUus. Laiidw. Ztg., 2S (1908), No. 99, p. SJfG; ah,s. in Chcm. Abs., 3 

 {1909), No. 6, p. 6S-'i). — Comparative tests of sand, peat, and sawdust are 

 reported. It was found that the use of an amount of peat corresponding to only 

 l.G per cent of the amount of soil increased the yield about 25 per cent. 



Fixation of free nitrogen, nitrification, etc., A. Koch {Jahresher. Qdrungs- 

 Orgaimmcn, 16 (190.5), pp. 3.52-389). — This is a review of investigations re- 

 ported during 1905 on fixation of free nitrogen, denitrification, nitrification, 

 and related subjects, more particularly fermentative changes occurring in 

 manure. 



Contribution to the knowledge of the chemical processes involved in the 

 assimilation of free nitrogen by Azotobacter and Radiobacter, J. Stokl.vsa 

 ET AL. (CentU. Bakt. [etc.'\, 2 AM., 21 (1908), Nos. 15-16, pp. Ji8/,-509; 20-21, 

 pp. 620-632, pis. 3; ahs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 9ff (1908), Nos. 552, II. 

 p. 880; 533, II, p. 915; Jour. Hoc. Chem. Indus., iJ7 (J908), No. 23, p. 1167).— 

 This article discusses the morphology and biology of Bacillus radiobacter iu 

 the light of recent investigations, and reports investigations on the isolation of 

 this oi-f^anism and to test the behavior of Azotobacter and Radiobacter in mixed 

 and iiure cultures; the rate of nitrogen fixation of mixed and pure cultures of 

 the 2 organisms; the influence of different kinds of carbohydrates on nitrogen 

 fixation; the behavior of the organisms in the presence of sodium nitrate; the 

 consumption of carbohydrates in the assimilation of free nitrogen by Azoto- 

 bacter chroococcum ; the intensity of respiration of A. chroococcum; chemical 

 processes involved in the breaking down of glucose and manuite by the respira- 

 lion enzym of A/.otobacter ; the nietal»oIism balance of A. chroococcum, Reije- 

 rinck ; production of hydrogen in the metabolic processes of A. chroococcum. R. ; 

 itehavior of phosi)horus of various phosi)hatic nutrients in the Azotobacter 

 mass; nuclein in the bacterial mass of .1. cliroococcuin and in the organism 

 itself; and chemical analysis of the bacterial mass of .1. chroococcum R. 



It is shown that these organisms are widely distributed in nature and are 

 especially abundant in soils having vigorous growth of ])lue-greeM algje. They 

 do not occur, however, in high-lying soils of the Alps. Radiobacter has only a 

 slight power of fixing nitrogen as compared with Azotobacter, and the fixing 



