54 Alfird J. Evart: 



May IS Sept. 25 Dec. 20 



Plot 1— Air-slaked Lime Surface 68 (5.77) 5.08 (4.67) 5.44 (4.96) 



(Two tons per acre) 8 inches 4.6 (4.18) 4.68 (4.28) 5.12 (4.72) 



16 inches 4.88 (4.76) 4.46 (3.98) 4.0 (4.48) 



Averas?e 5.23 (4.0) 4.74 (4.31) 4.85 (4.72) 



Plot 9— Quicklime Surface 7.38 (5.44) 7.66 (7.' 2) 7.08 (6.68) 



(Two tons per acre) 8 inches 6.34 (5.92) 6.7 (6.2) 5.52 (5.12) 



16 inches 6.38(6.02) 6.5 (6.1) 5.6 (5.54) 



Average 6.7 (6.13) 6.95 (6.44) 6.U7 (5.78) 



The acid-soluble materials appear to increase in the quick- 

 lime plot in September, and are throughout high. This is 

 undoubtedly due to the chemicail action of the quicklime on 

 the soil, and this action involves a considerable waste of food 

 materials by the end of the year. This waste is not apparent 

 in the case of the slaked lime plot, in which, as in the unma- 

 nured plot, the total amount of readily soluble mateiial appears 

 to be greater in December than it is after the winter rains in. 

 September. .In all the other plots tlie amount steadily decreases 

 towards the close of the year. 



For convenience of reference a joint table is given beneath 

 showing the arverages from the upper 18 inches for all the plots 

 in parallel columns. From the totals it appears that the manure 

 added represents the asli of the crop fourfold, and that the total 

 apparent loss from the soil was four times greater than the 

 amount of chemical manure added. In other words, chemical 

 manures do not permanently enrich, but rapidly impoverish, tine 

 soils poor in humus, especially when applied in excess. 



SUMMARY. 



As regards the unmanured plot, the sodium nitrate appears 

 to lower the percentage of dissolved matter during the eight 

 months following its applicajtion ; the slaked lime lowers the 

 amount at first, but by the end of the year it is up to the 

 nornuil level again. In all other cases, the amount of water- 

 Boluble matter is increased at first, and lowered below the un- 

 manured level by the end of the year, except in the case of 

 the gA'psum, in which it remains high in spite of a heavy loss, and 

 of the blood manure, in which it does not fall below the amount 

 in the unmanured plot. 



