•October, 'Ifil NITRATES IN ORCHARD SOILS. 



Table No. 14. 



Nitrates, Part.'< per Milh'on of Dry Soil. 



Surface k^oil. 



23 



Table No. 15. 



MoiMure, Percentage. 



Surface Soil. 



From the tal)le it will l)e seen that there is practically no dif- 

 ference in moisture to account for variations in nitrates. It 

 will also be seen that the amount of nitrates formed under the 

 sod would be approximately the amount shown on the bare soil 

 but where this same soil is stirred nitrification progresses at a 

 much greater rate. So it would seem to indicate that nitrates 

 are reduced under sod to a marked degree as compared with the 

 same soil under tillage. The ratio between the three small plats 

 is as follows : 



Sod. 

 1 



Bare. 

 2.2 



Tilled. 

 10. 



Later in the season another sod orchard of Baldwin trees was 

 used to duplicate the experiment. Determinations of nitrates 

 and moisture had been made throughout the season on two un- 

 fertilized rows under the sod and gave a weekly average for the 

 season as follows: 



