FEETILIZERS. 87 



New problems in soil inoculation, J. Stoklasa {Deut. Landw. Pressc, .?7 {1900), 

 Nu. 17, pp. 1S9-191; abs. in Chem. Zlij., '24 {1900), No. 24, Repert.,}!. .96').— The author 

 found that the Alinit bacteria assiuiilated the free nitrogen of the air, but only in 

 the presence of an excels of (larbohydratea and witli the assistance of a T)aeillus 

 which occurs particularly in humus soils. The latter organism was isolated and 

 studied. 



FERTILIZERS. 



The utilization of stable waste, W. H. Birciimoke {Jour. Soc. 

 Ohein. IjuL, 10 {1000), No. 2, pp. llS-l'Jl).^The author eonclud(>,s 

 from his observations and experiments that the fertilizing valuer of 

 stable waste depends largely if not entirely upon the activity of the 

 micro-organisms in the manure or in the soil to which it is applied. 

 It was found that "an average sample of sta))le waste lost 40 pei' cent 

 of its contained nitrogen in the first 2 hours after it was swept into 

 the pit. Of this loss full three-tiuarters was in the fourth half hour." 

 The author succeeded in preparing cultures which on l)eing introduced 

 into the manure heap set up an acid fermentation which prevented the 

 loss of ammonia. The method of procedure was as follows: 



"The stable waste, solid and fluid, as it accuumlated, was collected in a closed and 

 acidulated receptacle. Into this was turned a certain amount of a culture,' which 

 in a very short time reduced the whole to a mud containing nitrates, ammoniacal 

 salts, and phosphates, together with a relatively pure culture of certain organisms. 



"This material, which has a peculiar sour smell, may be mixed with ashes and 

 allowed to ferment with free access of air, a jjure culture or a quasi-pure culture of 

 other organisms being added, or in place of this some well-advanced material from 

 a i^ortion of waste already well 'worked.' 



"If a relatively pure culture be used, the entire mass is reduced to a black loam 

 within a very short time, and this loam I have used for cultivating plants with great 

 success. Plants grown in it show reproductive bodies of exaggerated size as com- 

 pared with the size of the plants by which they are produced." 



The author isolated from soils difi'erent groups of organisms which 

 it is claimed are essential, one for the growth of cereals, another for 

 potatoes, a third for grass. Unless the particular organisms favoring 

 the growth of the crop under cultivation are present in the soil the 

 application of stal)le waste will not be eti'ective in increasing the yield. 



Investigations on the influence of nitric nitrogen and ammo- 

 niacal nitrogen on the growth of maize, P. Maze {A/in. Inst. Pas- 

 teur, IJfilOOO), No. l,p}p. m-JiG; ahs. iiiJmur. Agr. Fmt.,1000, /, No. 11, 

 pp. 382-388; Chem. Centbl., 1000, /, No. m,p. 687).~\\\ these inves- 

 tigations it was found that corn assimilated these 2 forms of nitrogen 

 with equal facility, if furnished in suitable proportions. The best 

 results were obtained with a 0.2 per cent solution of nitrate and a 0.05 

 per cent solution of ammonium sulphate. A 0.2 per cent solution of 

 ammonium sulphate killed the plants. The injurious effect of ammo- 



^ The nature and method of preparation of this culture is not explained. 



