88 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 165. 



Comparing the percentage composition of the percolates and the drain- 

 age waters, both based on the fixed solids, we find them agreeing very 

 closely. The per cent, of calcium oxide in the drainage water of 1913 for 

 plot 6 is 36 as against 30 found in the percolation waters from this plot, 

 averaging the hmed and unlimed. Sulfates in the drainage waters are 

 48 per cent, and in the percolates 44 per cent., and chlorides in the drain- 

 age waters are 15 per cent, and in the percolates 13 per cent, of the fixed 

 soUds. The higher results in the drainage waters are probably due to the 

 fact that more of the drainage comes from the limed ends of the plots than 

 from the unlimed. 



Culture Studies. 



The first culture work undertaken in connection with this problem was 

 to deteiTnine if the infertility of the soils extended to their water extracts, 

 as was found bj'' Whitney,^ Livingston^ and others. 



The seedlings used were rye, barley and red clover, which were germi- 

 nated on paraffin-covered wire gauze as described in Bulletin No. 40, 

 Bureau of Soils. When the stems of the seedlings reached a length of one 

 inch they were transferred to notched corks and placed in the culture so- 

 lutions. 



The culture solutions were contained in salt-mouth bottles of 250 cubic 

 centimeters' capacity, with necks ha-ving a diameter oi 1}4 inches. Four 

 seedlings were placed in each bottle. As each experiment was carried on 

 in triphcate this gave a total of twelve seedlings for each treatment. 



The soil extracts were made bj^ mixing two parts water ■with one part 

 soil and letting the mixture stand for about two hours with frequent 

 shakings, when the water was either poured off or filtered through porcelain 

 filters under pressure. 



The first series was conducted with extracts from the hmed and unhmed 

 ends of plots 1, 6, 7 and 8. One set was made up with filtered extracts, 

 and a second set with the unfiltered extract. The seedUngs used were rye 

 and red clover. The experiment was continued four weeks, at the end of 

 which the plants began to wilt. 



The first differences were noted at the end of the first week, the rye 

 seedlings in the extracts from the limed ends of the plots being better 

 than those in the extracts from the unlimed areas. The seedlings in the 

 extracts from the unhmed areas all had a reddish-colored stem, and did 

 not make as good a growth as the others. The clover seedhngs showed 

 similar differences, but more in the roots than in the tops. The differences 

 became more marked as time went on, and differences in the root develop- 

 ment became noticeable. The roots in the extracts from the unlimed end 

 of plot 6 became stimted and thickened,' and the roots in the extract from 

 the unhmed end of plot 8, while not stunted, showed a poorer growth than 



' Bui. 23, Bureau of Soils, Whitney and Cameron. 



2 Bui. 28, Bureau of Soils, Livingston et al.; Bui. 36, Bureau of Soils, Livingston. 

 ' Bui. 161 contains descriptions and photographs of clover roots similar to the roots of seedlings 

 in these cultures. 



