24 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



biological and more especially the bacteriological point of view in manuring, Avhich 

 to a great extent is to-day supplanting the i^urely chemical views that have for nearly 

 60 years held the field." The nature and action of nitrifying and denitrifying 

 organisms, as well as of the organisms whicli assimilate free nitrogen in symbiosis 

 with legmninons phmts, are discussed, and the importance of the biological processes 

 in tilt' soil from a practical standpoint is ixiintcd out. 



Historical review of investigations on the fixation of the nitrogen of the 

 atmospliere by soils and plants, L. Nmidix ( Mmiit. Sr.l., 4. ser., 17 {190:}), p. ^25)- 



FERTILIZERS. 



Experiments in green manuring, Fkuwiktii {Mitt. Dent. Landw. Gesell., 18 

 {190.')'), .Yo.s\ 1//, pj). 77-7.)', • l'>, 2'1'- 75-77). — In field experiments on a deep, close 

 loam soil with medium lime content to determine the value of green manuring for 

 hoed crops as a general practice, of different cro^js for the purpose, and the best 

 means of turning crops under, it was found that the largest mass of green manuring 

 material was ftu-nished by field beans, followed, in declining order, by blue lupines, 

 peas, and crimson ch)ver. In 2 years out of 5 green manuring was followed by bad 

 results on the succeeding crop. Green manuring crops seeded after winter wheat or 

 as late as August 12 to 15 were of doubtful value. Phosphoric acid gave better 

 results when ai)j)lied to the green manuring crops than with the following hoed crop. 

 Shallo\v plowing under of the green manures gave better results than deep. 



Local deposits of bat guano, H. H. Cousins {Bid. Dept. of Agr. Jamaica, 2 

 {190.1), X(i. 6-7, pp. 144-146)- — Analyses of 35 samples of Jamaica bat guano are 

 reported. The average results are: Moisture, 30.9 per cent; organic matter, 33.4 per 

 vcent; nitrogen, 4.5 per cent; phosphoric acid, 5.3 per cent, and potash, 1.3 per cent. 

 The nitrogen varied in the different samples from 0.2 to 10.5 per cent; the phosphoric 

 acid from 0.7 to 13. S per cent; and the potash from 0.4 to 4.7 per cent. 



Hamilton sludge, E. Harcourt {Ontario Agr. Col. and Expf. Farm lipt. 1902, 

 p. 57).— Analyses of sludge from the sewage disposal works of Hamilton, Ont., are 

 reported. The material is shown to have about the same amounts of fertilizing con- 

 stituents as ordinary barnyard manure. 



Residue from the purifi.cation of sugar-beet juices, S. L. Frankfurt {VyeMn. 

 Sakh. Pron., 1902, Nos. 39, pp. 467-471; 40, 2^P- 511-515; 41, PP- 537-540; abs. in 

 Zkiir. Opuiin. Agron. [Jour. Expt. Landw.'], 3 {1902), No. 6, pp. 746-750).— ka 

 analysis of this material is reported which shows it to contain lime 42.70 per cent, 

 magnesia 1.21, phosphoric acid 0.66, nitrogen 0.41, potash 0.30, and carbon dioxid 

 32.40 per cent. — p. fireman. 



Residue from purifi.cation of sugar beets as a fertilizer, A. Chevely ( Vgemt. 

 Salh. Pron., 1902, No. 31, pp. 168-173; ahs. In ZJiur. Opuitn. Agron. [Jour. Expt. 

 Lavdv'.'], 3 {1902), No. 6, pp. 750, 751). — The author's experiment indicates that 

 this material is of no importance as a fertilizer on chernozem soils, but increases 

 consi<lerably the yield and only slightly lowers the quality of sugar beets on sandy- 

 clayey soils. — p. fireman. 



Experiments vj'ith molasses refuse on sugar beets, F. Strohmer ( Oesterr.- 

 Ungar. Ztschr. Zukerind. u. Landw., 32 {1903), No. 3, pp. 1-31; abs. in OJwin. Cenibl., 

 1903, I, No. 23, p. 1272). — Pot experiments are reported which indicate that the 

 nitrogen of this fertilizer is about as effective as that of nitrate of soda and its potash 

 as that of potassium sulphate. No injurious effect on the quality of the beets was 

 observed in any case. 



Some local refuse manures, H. H. Cousins {Jiid. Dept. of Agr. Jamaica, 2 {1903), 

 No. 6-7, pp. 147-150). — Analyses with reference to fertilizing constituents are given 

 of jiond mud, banana trash ash, sheep manure, Kingston city refuse, and of a soil 

 on which bananas had failed to grow. The soil was found to be very low in avail- 

 able i)otash. 



