36 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECORD. 



alkalis from depths as great as 10 ft." It is the author's belief, 

 however, ''that the ehanoes observed and recorded for the 10 ft. 

 columns were largely if not wholly due to capillarity." 



The utilization by plants of the potash dissolved in soil -water, 

 T. SciiLOEsiNu {Conqjt. Etnd. Acad. ScL I\(ris, IJO {1000), pp. 1^22- 

 ^^J^; ahs. in Clmn. Centhl., 1900, /, JSfo. m,p. 686).— The studies on soil- 

 soluble potash reported in this article were of the same character as 

 previous investigations on soil-soluble phosphoric acid (E. S. R., 11, 

 p. S-IV). It is shown that the soil potash is dissolved only in very small 

 amounts l)v the water of the soil, even when present in large amouuis. 

 It is stated that in a soil containing from '6^)()() to •1,0()0 kg. of potash 

 per hectare there will be only from 1 to 5 kg. of potash soluble in 

 water at any given time. However, this potash gradually becomes 

 availal)le as required by the plant, and the author's experiments with 

 corn showed that this plant was at)le during its growing period to 

 obtain a sufficient amount of potash for a very large growth from a 

 soil A\hich showed only a very small amount of potash at any given 

 time. 



Catalogue of the first four thousand samples in the soil collec- 

 tion of the Division of Soils, ^1. AVhitney {C S. D(pt. Jf//'., Divi- 

 sion of Soils Bnl . 16, pp. llfJ')). — The bulletin explains the agencies 

 through which the collection Avas obtained, describes the t^^pical areas 

 and formations represented, and gi^es reference to mechanical or 

 chemical analysis. The collection includes samples from all of the 

 States and Territories of the United States, except Maine and Wyo- 

 ming, and from Bermuda, China. Cuba, England. Germany. Mexico, 

 Russia, and Sumatra. The main object of the catalogue is stated to be 

 to call attention to the large number of samples at present in the 

 possession of the Division of Soils with a view to extending the 

 collection In' cooperation or exchange with indi\'iduals, organizations, 

 and institutions interested in the subject. 



"In order to call attention still more forcibly to the importance and value of the 

 soil collection, and to extend this educational work, collections of representative soils 

 are being put up in small glass bottles, arranged in boxes with 22 compartments in 

 each. These sets are to be distributed to the agricultural colleges and experiment 

 stations, with explanatory text regarding the origin, the chemical and physical 

 peculiarities, and the agricultural value of the samples, together Avith a statement of 

 the ])hysical and chemical analysis of each." 



Treatment of swamp or humus soil, F. H. King and J. A. Jkkfekv [Wisconsin 

 Sta. Rpt. 1S99, pp. 244, 245, fig. 1). — This is a brief summary of results of investiga- 

 tion on this subject which are reported in detail elsewhere (p. 32). 



A method of ascertaining the fertility of different parts of an experimen- 

 tal field by the use of control plats, J. P. d'Albiqukrque ( }yest Italian BuL, 1 

 (1900), No. 2, pj). 1S7-193). 



Readings of soil thermometers {Xew York State Sta. Rpt. 1S9S, pp. 578-584). — 

 This is a talmlar record of tridaily readings of soil thermometers during 1898 at 

 dex^ths of 1 to 18 in. 



