122 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



being considered from the standpoint of physical properties and chemical properties, 

 including various methods of physical and chemical examination and fertilizer 

 experiments. 



Composts and composting, B. \Y. Kilgoke et al. ( Bui. N. ( '. Dept. Agr.,26 (1905), 

 No. 2, pp. 58-60).— Formulas and general directions for preparing composts, especi- 

 ally those containing cotton seed and cotton-seed meal, arc given. 



Fertilizers and amendments, F. T. Sin it {Canada Expt. Farm* RpU. 1904, pp. 

 151-157).— Analyses of wood ashes (leached and unleached), muck ashes, ashes from 

 carbid works and from an incinerator, calcareous deposits from British Columbia, 

 and whalebone are reported and discussed. 



Analyses of cotton-seed meals (South Carolina Sta. Bui. 105, pp. 6). — Tables 

 are given of analyses of 84 samples of meal collected as far as possible from all mills 

 in the State. ''The average ammonia yielded by the 84 meals analyzed was found to 

 be 7.52 per cent. Eleven were found to yield 8 per cent or over of ammonia. Thirty- 

 one were found to yield 7£ to 8 per cent of ammonia. Thirty -five were found to 

 yield 7 to 7\ per cent of ammonia, Five were found to yield 6£ to 7 per cent of 

 ammonia. Two were found to yield 6 to 6 J per cent of ammonia." 



Analysis of commercial fertilizers (South Carolina Sla. Buls. 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 

 102, 104, 106, 107, 108, pp. 3 each). — Tabulated analyses and valuations of fertilizers. 



The utilization of ammonia nitrogen, A. Schafer (Fuhling's Landw. Ztg., 54 

 (1905), Xo. 4, pp. 142-145). — Investigations by Sessons on the effect of lime, tem- 

 perature, and moisture on the loss of ammonia from soils are briefly reviewed, show- 

 ing in brief that there may be considerable losses of nitrogen when ammonium salts 

 are applied to light sandy soils rich in lime, particularly if the material is not 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil and the conditions made as favorable as possi- 

 ble for nitrification. 



The use of peat for the transformation of calcium cyanamid into ammo- 

 niacal compounds, R. Perotti (Atti R. Accad. Lincei, Rend. CI. Sci. Fis., Mat. e 

 Nat, 5. ser., 14 (1905), I, No. 3, pp. 174-177; abs. in Jour. (linn. Soc. [London], 88 

 (1905), No. 510, II, p. 278). — The injury due to the direct application of calcium 

 cyanamid to growing crops is stated to be due to hydrolysis of the cyanamid, 

 resulting in the formation of ammonium compounds. This hydrolysis can be 

 brought about before application to the soil by mixing the cyanamid with peat and 

 water. It is suggested that the hydrolyzed material may be used for the transforma- 

 tion of a fresh quantity of the cyanamid and the process thus repeated until a mix- 

 ture very rich in nitrogen is obtained. 



Nitrate of soda as a means of protection against frost (Deut. Landw. Presse, 

 .12 (1905), No. 31, p. 269, fig. 1). — A case of frost resistance due to vigorous growth 

 of flowers, vegetables, etc., resulting from applications of nitrate of soda is reported. 



Value of potash to farm crops, J. J. Willis ( [Rot ha rusted], 1905, pp. 14, pi. 1)- — 

 A discussion of this subject based upon Rothamsted experiments. 



Is the availability of phosphoric acid in bone dust modified by the pres- 

 ence of gypsum? T. Katavama | />'"/. Col. Ayr., Tokyo Imp. Univ., 6 (1905), No. 4, 

 pp. 353-356). — A series of pot experiments with rice grown in sand to test the rela- 

 tive effect of calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate on the availability of the phos- 

 phoric acid of bone meal is reported. 



The results show that the availability of the phosphoric acid was not depressed 

 by gypsum, but was reduced to a marked extent by applications of calcium carbon- 

 ate. It should be borne in mind, however, in connection with this latter fact that 

 the artificial soil experimented with contained no humus. Very different results 

 were obtained by Suzuki with a soil containing 11 per cent of humus, as noted 

 above. Varying amounts of magnesium carbonate were used in connection with 

 the calcium compounds. The results show that the larger amounts of magnesia did 

 not act favorably. 



