SOILS FERTILIZERS. 4 47 



given and the value of chemical analyses in determining the fertilizer require 

 of soils pointed out. 



A new method of mechanical soil analysis, A - Internal. Kong. 



Angew. Chem., 1908, Ber. 8, pp.896 898). — A method involving the use oJ 

 amounts of soil i 3.75 to ) gm. i and based upon boiling in a Bmall Erlenmeyer flask, 

 passing through Bieves, and allowing to settle in cylinders, is briefly described. 



The bacteriological examination of cultivated soils, T. \l\w\ Internal. 



Kong. Angew. Chem., 1908, Ber.8jpp.784 794). Comparative studies of the behavioi 

 of differenl Boil organisms tmder varying conditions are reported. 



Soil inoculation (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], ii (1905), No. 11, pp. 669 ■ 

 previous publication (E. S. R., L6, p. 541) an accounl was given of experiments with 

 the improved Nitragin for the inoculation of leguminous crops. In the present 

 report a description is given of the methods of application and a comparison is draw □ 

 between this improved inoculating material and thai distributed by this Department. 



A- formerly, the Nitragin is prepared for special crops, cultures being imn avail- 

 able for beans, clovers of various kinds, alfalfa, vetches, etc. The cultures arej dis- 

 tributed in glass tubes and must be protected from heal and too much Light. The 



(•(.ntcnts of the tubes are to be turned ou1 into water, or better still, fresh milk, and 



nutrient substances, said to l>e peptone and grape sugar, are dissolved in the solution 

 before adding the culture. The seeds to be inoculated, are wel with the solution 

 and sewn at once, care being taken to present their drying. Nitragin differs from 

 the material prepared by this Department in that it must be prevented from drying, 

 while the inoculating material of this Department is sent out in a dry condition and 

 may be allowed to drj on the seed. The other methods of handling are quite similar 

 for the two substances. 



Contribution to the knowledge of nitrogen bacteria, 1- . Lo'hnis (Centbl. 

 Bakt. [etc.'], .'. Abt., 14 (1905), Nob. 18 20, pp. 582-604; ?2-2S,.pp. 718-728; abs. in 

 Jour. Chem. Soc. { London], 88 I 1905), No. 515, IL pp. 601, 602). — This is a review 

 of the investigations by the author during several years past, as well as of similar 

 studies by other investigator- on nitrogen-fixing bacteria, bacteria which assimilate 

 nitrates, and urea bacteria. 



i he principal organisms in these .". classes are described, and it is shown thai the 

 various nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Bacterium pneumoniae, Ii lactis viscosum, B. radio- 

 bacter, /»'. radicicola, B. prodigiomm, and B. turcosum) also assimilated nitrates, bul to 

 different extents. /»'. agreste did not iix nitrogen but assimilated nitrates vigorously, 

 while Ii fluorescens decomposed nitrates chiefly by denitrification. In cultures 

 inoculated with soil urea was rapidly converted into ammonium carbonate, probably 

 by the action of Urobacillw paateurii, but attempt- to isolate this micro-organism 

 were unsuccessful. 



The characteristics and behavior in cultures of Bacillus freudenreichii are described. 

 This organism showed but small capacity for transforming urea into ammoniacal 

 compounds. 



On the value of some new nitrogenous fertilizers, II. (i. SoD&bbai u Meddel. 

 K. Landtbr. Akad. ExptlfaU. [Stockholm], No. 85, pp. 97).— The author dis 

 number of new methods of utilizing the nitrogen of the air for agricultural pur- 

 poses, and gives an account of pot and held experiment- with - new fertilizers at the 

 experiment station at Alhano, Sweden, viz., with calcium cyanamid and calcium 

 nitrate. 



The former fertilizer produced an increase in the yield of white mustard of 52.9 

 per cent of that of an equivalent amount of nitrogen in nitrate of soda. In experi- 

 ments with oats in vessels buried in the ground, the yield obtained with calcium 

 cyanamid was to that obtained with nitrate of soda as 76:100. The increase in tin- 

 straw was, however, relatively larger than m grain. 



