530 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



due to the time required for the nitrification of the salt itself, but is 

 partly due to its action in retarding" nitrification in the soil. 



"An api^lication of nitrate of sodium does not apparently interfere with the ordi- 

 nary course of nitrification in the soil, this goes on as if no nitrate lias been employed; 

 but when an ammonium salt is applied to the soil, nitrification seems to proceed 

 first on the ammonia, and the nitrogenous organic matter of the soil in contact with 

 the ammonia is protected for a time from decomposition, and reserved for a later 

 action. This effect of adding ammonium salts to a soil will be distinctly increased if 

 the proportion of carbonate of lime in the soil is very small, so that the immediately 

 available base is used up by the ammonium salts, and a fresh supply is obtained only 

 by subsequent weathering." 



Averaging the results of a long series of field experiments at Roth- 

 amsted, it is found that the effectiveness of ammonium sulphate as com- 

 pared Avith that of sodium nitrate was for cereal crops as 1>3 to 100 for 

 the grain and 79 to 100 for straw, for ha}" as 88 to 100, and for mangels 

 82 to 100. In experiments with potatoes the product from the ammo- 

 nium sulphate was on an average fully equal to that yielded l)y sodium 

 nitrate. In experiments on turnips in Scotland and the north of Eng- 

 land, in which small quantities of ammonium sulphate and sodium 

 nitrate were applied, the 2 fertilizers were about equally effective. 



The profitableness of fertilizing, E. Wollny {Illus. Landw. Ztg., 20 {1900), 

 Nos. S3, pp. 789, 790; 84, pp. 800, 801; 85, pp. 809, 810) .—A popular discussion of 

 this subject. 



Tlie decomposition of organic substances and the forms of humus in their 

 relations -with agriculture, E. Wollny {Ann. Sci. Agron., 1900, II, Aw. l,pp. 33- 

 119, fi(p. 2; pp. 338-450). — This is the conclusion of the article which has been 

 referred to in previous numbers of the Record (E. S. E., 11, p. 917). 



Niter earth, ■wood, ashes, and phosphatic material, A. INI. Peter and H. E. 

 Curtis {Kentucky Sta. Rpt. 1898, p. XVI). — Analyses of 4 samples of niter earth, 3 

 samples of wood ashes, and 1 sample of phosphatic material are reported. 



Utilizing blast-furnace slag as a fertilizer, A. D. Elbers {Tradesman, 44 {1900), 

 No. 7, pp. 91, 92). — This article treats briefly of "the practicability of using highly 

 calcareous slag for agricultural purposes in place of ordinary lime, chalk, and marl." 

 It does not deal with the phosphatic slags. 



Researches on the injurious effects of nitrate of soda, P. de Caluwe {Expose 

 Cult. Exper. Gand, 1898-99, pp. 54-66, pis. 3). — A detailed account of the experiments 

 noted above. 



Commercial fertilizers in Indiana, H. A. Huston {Purdue Unir. S/tec. Bid. 1900, 

 Aug., pp. 24). — This is a report of analyses of 481 samples of fertilizers examined 

 during 1899, with a discussion of the results. 



"[Of the samples examined] only 39 were up to the legal standard in every par- 

 ticular. One hundred and twenty samples fell below the legal standard in one or 

 more ingredients, but the differences are so small that a purchaser, while not getting 

 the full amount legally due him, yet got so nearly that amount tliat he was not 

 seriously misled in regard to the relative amounts of each ingredient present, nor 

 was he subjected to any considerable financial loss. . . . 



"Three hundred and twenty-two samples differ so nuicli from the legal standards 

 that the j)urcha-ser would be seriously deceived. In many cases less than one-half 

 the legal ainoimt of one or more ingredients was present." 



Fertilizers and amendments, F. T. Shutt {Canada Expt. Farms Rpts. 1899, pp. 

 137-14^). — Analyses of the following fertilizing materials are reported and their value 



