ANNUAL REPORT, 1940 39 



information should be gained which will lead to the selection of the soils 

 most suitable for this investigation when the phase of work related to 

 plant growth is started. Preliminary investigations of the various physical 

 and chemical characteristics of these soils are being made at the present 

 time. 



The Relationship of Base Exchange Capacity, Exchangeable Hydrogen, 

 and Soil Reaction to the Lime Requirement of Massachusetts Soils. (Dale 

 H. Sieling.) Sixteen soils representing the most important soil types in 

 Massachusetts have been collected for the laboratory investigation in this 

 research. Arrangements have been made with several of the farmers in- 

 volved to lay out liming tests on a small area of their farms after the 

 laboratory information is adequate to give an indication of the amounts 

 required for the various soil types. 



The volume-weight determinations of these 16 soils as they occur in 

 the field have been made and show that under field conditions the weight 

 per acre-inch varies from 101.5 tons to 151.0 tons. These variations in 

 volume weights should have a marked influence on the lime requirements 

 of the different soils on the basis of laboratory tests made on weighed 

 quantities of soils. 



The Fixation of Arsenic in Soils and the Influence of Arsenic Com- 

 pounds on the Liberation of Fixed Phosphorus in Soils. (Dale H. Sieling.) 

 Soil samples have been collected from plots 4 and 8 of Block K in the 

 Pomology Fertilizer Test Plots. These plots have received the residue 

 from several years of spraying with lead arsenate. On plot 8, where there 

 has been no application of phosphorus, a definite deficiency of phosphorus 

 is noted. Samples were collected at various depths in the soil to find 

 whether the arsenic had penetrated beyond the top few inches of the soil. 



CONTROL SERVICE 

 Philip H. Smith in Charge" 



With the retirement of Mr. H. D. Haskins in December 1939, Fertilizer 

 Control was merged with the other Control Services. At the present 

 time, the Fertilizer, Feed, and Seed Control Laws and the Dairy Law 

 are all administered as one service. In additon, a large amount of work 

 is done not only for other departments of the institution, but also for other 

 State institutions and for citizens as well. 



Fertilizer Inspection. Records for the year show that 121 firms have 

 registered 492 brands of mixed fertilizers and fertilizing materials and 52 

 brands of agricultural lime and gypsum. The gross receipts from the 

 registration of the fertilizer and lime products and from fertilizer tonnage 

 fees were $14,491.28. 



For inspection purposes 1,815 samples, representing 534 brands and 

 13,254 tons of materials, were drawn from stock found in the possession 

 of 425 agents or owners located in 157 towns and cities of the State. 



^ The Control Service Staff consists of: Philip H. Smith in charge; F. A. McLaughlin, 

 Seed Analyst and Microscopist ; J. W. Kuzmeski, H. R. DeRose, A. F. Spelman, L. V. 

 Crowley, F. J. Farren, Chemists; Jessie L. Anderson, Seed Analyst; James T. Howard, 

 Sampling Agent and Inspector; G. E. Taylor, Laboratory A6sii^taIlt. 



