II ] NITRIFICATION OF SULPHA TE OF AMMONIA 6i 



proportion of nitrate has been enormously increased, 

 due to immediate nitrification, and the later runnings 

 of the drains in November and December show that the 

 ammonium salts were being rapidly oxidised and re- 

 moved from the soil as nitrates. 



Table XIV.— Broadbalk Wheat Field, Rothamsted, Nitrogen 

 AND Chlorine in Dkainagb Water from Plot 15. Parts 

 fer Million. 



V««r. 



1880 

 1880 

 1880 

 1880 

 1880 

 1880 

 1880 

 1880 

 1881 



MoDlh. 



October 10 

 October 27, 6-30 A.M 

 October 27, i P.M. 

 October 28 

 October 29 

 November 15, 16 

 November 19, 26 

 December 22, 29, 30 

 February 2. 8, lo 



When applied to the soil sulphate of ammonia is 

 very rapidly and completely absorbed ; the instance 

 quoted above (Table XIV.) being one of the very few 

 cases when ammonium salts have been found in the 

 waters draining from the Rothamsted wheat field, 

 however recent the application of ammonium salts 

 had been. The sulphuric acid or chlorine is found 

 at once in the drainage water, but combined with 

 calcium and magnesium derived from the soil. It is 

 commonly supposed that the reaction taking place is 

 one of double decomposition with the calcium carbonate 

 in the soil — 



CaCO, + (X H^) ,S0, = (NH;).,C0, + CaSO,, 



the ammonium carbonate being held without further 



