[SHUTT & CHARLTON] CYANAMIDE COMPOUND AS A FERTILIZER 



73 



Milligrams of 

 Nitrogen Added rjomnonnd 

 )er 100 Grams of «-«mpoun^i- 

 Soil. ; 



per 



28.0 

 29.3 



41.8 

 41.8 



1.1 

 2.2 

 4.5 



9.1 



13.7 



18.3 



Potassium 



cyanamido- 



carboxylate. 



Results. 



Wheat : Germination much retarded and plants 

 soon withered. Peas : very few germinated. 



Wheat : Plants withered and died on reaching the 

 height of a few inches. Peas : vitality of seed ko 

 far impaired that none germinated. 



I Wheat and peas : Germination not retarded ; 

 j plants unaffected and strong. 



Wheat and peas : Germination retarded. 



Wheat and peas : Germination retarded and wheat 

 plants seriously aflFected. 



Wheat and peas: Germination much retarded, 

 especially in the case of peas. Plants of both 

 very weak. 



A consideration of the tabulated results will make it apparent that 

 these compounds, save when present in very small quantities, injuriously 

 affect the vitality of the seed. As the amount is increased the toxic 

 effect becomes more and more noticeable, not only in the retardation of 

 germination but also upon the health and vigour of the young plants. 

 Wheat is better able to resist this action than peas, nevertheless the 

 wheat plants in the tests containing the larger amounts of cyanamide 

 frequently turned black, withered and died after reaching a height of 

 3 to 5 inches. 



A careful review of this work led us to conclude that the presence 

 of the cyanamide compounds in amounts equivalent to 5 mg. or less 

 of nitrogen per 100 grams of soil would not prove injurious to the 

 germination of seed. Toxic effects were markedly noticeable, however, 

 with amounts between 10 and 20 mg. per 100 grams soil, while still 

 larger quantities proved fatal. The potassium compound appears to be 

 more injurious in its action on the life of the seed and of the young 

 plants than the calcium salt. 



Trials were made with other seeds, but owing to an unfortunate 

 accident the results were rendered useless. 



Nitrification of the Cyanamide Compounds in the Soil. 



The fact having been established that freshly applied cyanamide 

 has a deleterious action upon the seed and young plants, it became a 

 matter of considerable interest to learn what length of time is required 



