840 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



value of the phosphoric acid in the various phosphates is calculated 

 in this article from the increase in 3'ield of grain. The author con- 

 siders calculations based upon the recovery of the phosphoric acid in 

 the crop to l)c entireh" unreliable. 



The action of burnt lime and marl on light sandy upland soils, 

 Neubektii {Drat. Landir. JWs'<c, 27{190U),X<>. 75, ^^..^-VJ).— These sub- 

 stances were compared on peas in 1896 on inoculated and uninoculated 

 soils. The burnt lime did not interfere with the action of the inoculat- 

 ing soil. The Afield was larger when lime was used in connection with 

 inoculating soil than when marl was so used. When the lime and marl 

 were used alone the yield was decidedly less with the former than Avith 

 the latter, due especialh% it is claimed, to the action of the lime in 

 decomposing the organic nitrogenous matter of the soil and thus caus- 

 ing its loss by leaching, and also to volatilization of ammonia by the 

 action of the lime. The nitrogen content of the crop grown with lime 

 was much smaller than that of the crop grown with marl. The peas were 

 followed by buckwheat in 1897 and yjq, in 1898 and 1899. No further 

 applications of lime were made, but all plats received like amounts of 

 stable manure each year. The effects of the liming were very marked 

 on the last crop of vyq. The crop was poorest on the unlimed soil and 

 best on that which had received marl. 



The results, it is stated, indicate the need of lime in such soil as that 

 used in this test, but show that large applications of caustic lime ma}' 

 prove injurious. Marl seems to be better suited to soils of this 

 character. 



Analyses and valuations of fertilizers, L. A. Voorhees and J. P. 

 Street {New Jersey Stas. Bui. lIiS.^ i^p. 52). — This bulletin reports 

 on the trade values of fertilizing constituents in 1900 and the results 

 of examinations of the standard materials supplying them, as well as 

 of home-mixed and factory -mixed fertilizers and miscellaneous ferti- 

 lizing materials. The cost, valuation, and purchase of fertilizers, 

 guaranteed and actual composition, and home mixtures and special 

 fertilizers are discussed. Analyses and valuations are given of 47 

 samples of standard raw materials, 300 brands of complete fertilizers, 

 17 samples of home and special mixtures, 25 samples of ground 

 bone and 31 samples of miscellaneous products. Materials examined 

 included, in addition to the mixed fertilizers, nitrate of soda, sulphate 

 of ammonia, dried blood, ammonite, dry ground fish, superphosphate, 

 muriate of potash, sulphate of potash, kainit, wood ashes, licorice root 

 ashes, land plaster, salt, marl, and muck. A})out 87 per cent of the 

 brands of fertilizers examined contained as much total plant food as 

 was claimed, but in only 71 per cent was the plant food distri]>uted in 

 the proportions stated. The averages for all brands of complete fer- 

 tilizers examined during 1900 are as follows: Total nitrogen 2.41 per 

 cent, total phosphoric acid 11.03 per cent (available phosphoric acid 



