Fertilizer Treatment 301 
TABLE 4. 
Bacteria 
(Millions. per gram of Dry Soi! Calculated on a Dry Basis) 
Plot No.| March | April May June July Sept. Oct. Nov. Total Ave. 
1 9.95 (25 3.39 4.75 3.92 2.40 5.80 1.58 39.04 4.88 
2 12770 10.05 9.21 4.93 5.48 4.61 220) 3.11 52.34 6.54 
3 19.60 11.40 4.92 6.10 4.28 5.05 7.58 3.38 62.36 7.79 
4 6.60 13.85 4.41 6.34 2.64 2.85 5.82 2.31 44.83 5.60 
5 7.05 8.18 1.46 1.74 3.62 1.86 5.87 1.38 31.16 3.89 
6 4.94 5.41 2.32 4.76 4.70 1.88 5.69 3.94 33.64 4 20 
7 6.15 10.20 2.48 2.84 4.90 2pm 7.00 3.10 39.19 4.89 
8 5.81 11.14 4.55 2.01 natal 8.40 6.95 eo 45.88 5.73 
9 10.92 1.50 o.ot _ 2.02 3.84 1.63 6.50 2.50 32.28 4.03 
10 10.11 9.82 1.04 3.90 4.30 Payer 6.27 2.32 39.97 4.99 
11 2.61 6.90 Due 11.10 4.58 1.62 10.00 2.12 42.15 5.27 
12 4.96 Sia ittl 3.64 6.68 4.64 2.64 5.14 nol 33.84 4.23 
13 5.82 4.34 4.26 6.40 2.66 1.27 4.05 2.91 31.71 3.96 
Total. ..|107.22 {103.85 48 .27 63.58 55.07 38.94 78.92 BOD Neat ene. ce as OOnUe 
Ave... .24 7.98 Soqill 4.89 4.23 2.99 6.07 2.50 40.64 page 
had an average count of 4.88 which was lower than the average count 
for plots Nos. 2, 3 or 4. 
The manure plots Nos. 2 and 3 had the highest average counts. 
The count for the cow manure plot, No. 3, was higher, for March, 
April, June, September, October, and November, than the horse manure 
plot No. 2. The average count for the period was 1.25 greater. 
Three of the four plots having nitrogen in their treatments had 
higher average counts for the period than plots receiving no nitrogen 
in their treatments. The N K plot No. 8, was high with 5.73, the com- 
plete fertilizer plot, No. 4, was next with 5.60 and the N plot, No. 11, 
was lower with 5.27. However, the N P plot, No. 6, shows a slightly 
lower count than the P plot, No. 10, and the P K plot, No. 7, but nearly 
equal to the average count of the K plot, No. 12. 
The results seem to indicate that manure treatment causes greatest 
bacterial growth. The nitrogen in commercial fertilizer treatments 
usually encourage bacterial growth more than phosphorus or potas- 
sium. All treatments increased bacterial numbers over the no treatment 
plots. 
FRESH NITRATE EXPRESSED IN PARTS PER MILLION PER GRAM OF DRY 
Sort (Table 5). 
The nitrate found in the fresh soil is not a real test of the amounts 
being produced. The amount of water present, due to physical condi- 
tion of the soil, the amount lost by leaching, and the amount and rapid- 
ity of crop growth cause the nitrate content to vary unequally. The 
averages for the months indicate periods of consumption and excess 
production. The plot averages for the entire period probably indicate 
roughly the nitrate producing ability of the soil. 
The amounts of soluble nitrates found to occur in the soils of the 
different plots at the monthly sampling times vary greatly. The plots 
average highest for March, medium for April, July, September, and 
November, low for October, May and August and lowest for June. The 
