WATER — SOILS. 621 



fertilizer, and one of these was thoroughly rolled. The nitrate of 

 soda, dissolved phosphate rock, and muriate of potash were used singly 

 and combined by twos. 



A variety of Held and garden crops were grown. No definite results 

 were obtained the first year, although in every case the fertilizers 

 increased the vield, the barnyard manure giving the best results. The 

 yields on the different plats are tabulated. 



"(1) In general, the result of the muck experiments indicate a uniformity in the 

 requirements of the various crops and that stable manure meets those requirements 

 in fuller measure than anything else. It appears that the legumes tried — garden 

 peas and soy beans — are the only exceptions to this rule. . . . 



"(2) Air-slaked lime, which in the past has been highly recommended as a treat- 

 ment for muck land, acted on this even slightly acid muck in opposition to our 

 expectations, for where it was applied at the rate of 2 tons per acre the yield was 

 generally less than where nothing was applied. The yield apparently increased as 

 the C[uantity applied was enlarged. 



"(3) Sand has given contradictory results, though frequently its yield is higher 

 than the adjacent 'nothing' plat. These results are in no measure the entire benefit 

 to be derived from this one application, but it is still a problem whether it will pay 

 to apply sand to a muck field at the rate of 140 loads per acre. 



"(4) Leached ashes gave results similar to those from sand, and though yet incon- 

 clusive, we believe that where this material may be had for a few cents per wagonload 

 and is within 4 or 5 miles it may be applied with profit. 



" (5) So far the complete fertilizers do not give results that will warrant their pur- 

 chase in considerable quantities for muck land. 



"(6) Unleached wood ashes gave very satisfactory results, as did also the mixture 

 of- phosphate rock and potash salts, indicating the lack of mineral manures and an 

 abundance of nitrogenous manures in this soil." ' 



The reclamation of salt land in Egypt, G. Bonapaete {Jour. 



Khtd'iv. Agr. Soc. and School Agr., 2 {1900), JVo. 4, pp. 170-175, 

 Jjg. 1). — The origin and composition of alkali, or sahach.^ as it occurs 

 in Egypt, the injuries which it causes to plants, plants which are 

 resistant to alkali, and methods of reclaiming alkali lands {ard sahach) 

 are briefly treated. An effective method of removing the excess of 

 salts practiced in Egypt is as follows: Open drains 70 cm. to 1 meter 

 deep are placed at intervals of 50 meters one wa}^ and 150 the other, 

 in the latter case alternating with the irrigation laterals. The main 

 canals are 1,000 meters apart. The water is maintained at a depth of 

 10 cm. over the soil for 6 months. Rice, barnyard grass {Panicum 

 ems-gaUi), and a sedge {Cyperus Icevigatiis), used in making mats, are 

 then usually planted. 



The needs and treatment of the War-wick Plain and other 

 sandy soils of Rhode Island, H. J. Wheeler and G. E. Adams 

 {Rhode Mand Sta. Bui. 68, pp. 159-174)'— T^^Q district known as the 

 Warwick Plain is "essentially embraced within a line extending from 

 Apponaug to Pontiac, then along the Pawtuxet River to its outlet, 



^ The results obtained with sugar beets in these experiments have been reported in 

 an earlier bulletin (E. S. R., 12, p. 540). 



