FIELD CROPS. 739 



Alinit in the culture of cereals, Ij. Malpeaux {Ann. Agron., 26 

 (1900), yo. If, 2>j). 196-211). — The author briefly reviews the work of 

 investigators in difl'erent countries of Europe on the use of Alinit, and 

 gives the results of his own experiments in inoculating wheat and 

 oats with it. Both pot and field trials were made, and the soil used 

 varied from sterile sand to rich garden soil. 



In sterile soil Alinit did not increase the 3'ields of either grain or 

 straw, and the use of sugar did not add to its efficiency. In field soils 

 of average fertility the same results were obtained. In garden soils 

 the use of Alinit resulted in increased yields, seemingly due to its 

 presence, but the increase in yield was not as great as that obtained 

 when nitrate of soda was used. 



It is concluded that to be profitable Alinit must be used in soils rich 

 in vegetable matter and therefore favorable to the growth of nitrifying 

 bacteria. From the results obtained in these experiments the author 

 believes that it will be necessary to renounce the hope of replacing 

 nitrogenous manures by inoculation of seed with pure cultures of iiitro- 

 gen-fixing l)acteria. 



Fertilization of grain and grass lands, A. T. Neale {Delairare 

 Sta. Rpt. 1S99, pp. 2Jfr-26). — The yield of the hay crop on land fer- 

 tilized in 1897 with basic slag, ground bone, and acid phosphate, 

 respectively, and with mixtures of either basic slag or ground l)one 

 with acid phosphate is given for 1899, in addition to the data already 

 recorded for the 2 years preceding (E. S. R., 11, p. 141). The rela- 

 tive value of the 3 fertilizers in combinations are compared and the 

 profits and losses for the whole 3 years' experiments discussed. Ground 

 bone cost §24 per ton. It was practicalh" without effect on the grain 

 yield of rye, but considerably increased the following crop of grass. 

 Basic slag cost §9 per ton. It was also negative in effect on grain, but 

 was twice as effective as ground bone in increasing the hay yields. 

 The profits and losses secured for the whole 3 years of the experiment 

 are summed up b}^ the author as follows: 



' ' The sum total of 3 years' crojjs from unfertilized land is §48. 16 per acre. Fer- 

 tilized land in 2 instances only equaled or exceeded this amount, viz, where the 

 acid phosphate was used alone, from which $52.89 represents values after fertilizer 

 hills had been paid; and where the mixture of this phosphate with basic slag was 

 used, this netted S50.29. 



"An investment in acid phosphate of §1.36 per acre paid for itself the first year, and 

 during the entire interval of 3 years returned §4.73 profit per acre, or nearly 3 times 

 its first cost. Of the gross return due to this phosphate, viz, §6.09 per acre, 66 per 

 cent must be credited to the grain and .54 per cent to the grass. 



"The slag and phosphate combination returned a net profit of §2.13 per acre. Its 

 gross return was §4.83, of which 70 per cent should be credited to the hay crop and 

 30 per cent to the grain. 



"The gross return from bone and phosphate amounted to §5.11 per acre, insuf- 

 ficient to meet bills for fertilizers, which amounted to §5.80 per acre." 



