- i 7 8 - 



it is very doubtful how far it can be applied to soils with their 

 great power of precipitating or otherwise putting out of action so- 

 luble substances with which they may be supplied. Moreover, there 

 are as yet no data to show wh ether these so-called toxic sub- 

 stances are not normal products of bacterial action upon organic 

 residues in the soil, and as such just as abundant in fertile soils 

 rich in organic matter as iq the supposed sterile soils from which 

 they were extracted" 



XIV. 



Making and improvement of land. Warping and preservation 

 of soil on hill-sides. Reclamation of barren lands. Alkali 

 soils. Peat-burning and moor-culture. Preservation of 

 coast-land and cultivation of sand-dunes. 



Manuring of black Fenland. (Cambridge Univ. Dept. Agr. Far- 

 mer's, Bui. 6, Pp. 4). E. S. J?., vol. XXII, N 4, March 1910. 

 Washington. 



Experiments with mangolds and potatoes on several types of 

 fen soils to determine primarily how much superphosphate can be 

 profitably used on such soils are reported. The superphosphate 

 was compared with basic slag and was used alone and in combin- 

 ation with nitrogen and potash. The best results were obtained with 

 a heavy application (6 cwt. par acre) of superphosphate, and indicate 

 that soluble phosphate is the most valuable form to use on fenlands. 

 The addition of nitrate of soda with a smaller application of su- 

 perphosphate gave good results in the case of mangolds but was 

 as a rule unprofitable in the case of potatoes. 

 



The Manuring and Improvement of Mossland in Scotland. - 



(Scot. Farmer, 17, 1909, n. 884, p. 1042). E. S. ., vol. XXII^ 

 N 4, March 1910. Washington. 



An account is here given of an address by R. P. Wright based 

 upon the results of experiments made under the auspices of the 



