34 



MISC. PUBLICATION 3 69, U. S ( . DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



Hester and coworkers made a number of fundamental studies on 

 three soils occurring in Virginia, a Portsmouth loamy fine sand, a 

 Bladen sandy loam, and a Norfolk loam (266, 267, 268, 269). They 

 found significant differences in the power of plants (greenhouse tests) 

 to absorb the nutrient from each of the soils because of the differences 

 in the exchange capacity of the soils for the nutrients. The Bladen 

 soil, for example, was found to possess a high power for fixing potash 

 in a nonreplaceable state, whereas plant absorption of this element from 

 the Portsmouth is high. The utilization of phosphorus from the 

 different soils by the plants was in the descending order of Ports- 

 mouth, Bladen, Norfolk, the reverse of the phosphorus fixation 

 capacity of these soils. These authors conclude that 



The presence of a large amount of a particular replaceable base in the soil colloidal 

 complex influenced the elemental composition of a plant material even though 

 the yields were affected but little. A high replaceable calcium content suppressed 

 the absorption of potassium, nitrogen and magnesium; a high replaceable mag- 

 nesium content suppressed the absorption of potassium, calcium, and nitrogen ; and 

 a high potassium content suppressed the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and 

 nitrogen. 



Garner, McMurtrey, Bowling, and Moss (201) found that the mag- 

 nesium content of tobacco leaves was closely correlated with the 

 occurrence of magnesium deficiency diseases and with the particular 

 soils of Maryland, Connecticut, and North Carolina in which the 

 plants grew. 



The influence of soils on the composition of several vegetables grown 

 under different soil conditions in Maryland and in Virginia was studied 

 by Davidson and Le Clerc (HO) in 1936. Their data, compiled in 

 the appendix, do not indicate many consistent differences in the 

 mineral composition of the crops. However, these soils had been 

 heavily fertilized, and it is recognized that the Norfolk and the 

 Sassafras are both quite responsive to fertilization. 



The effect of soil type on the composition of corn stover was studied 

 by Wimer (596) in his recent experiments in Illinois. No significant 

 differences in composition of the stover were found in plants grown in 

 Saybrook silt loam and in the deep phase of this soil. The soils are, 

 however, identical except for variations in depth. In another field in 

 which more significantly different soils occur, differences in the com- 

 position were found. In discussing this point the author states: 



Drummer clay loam is rich in total nutrients, has a high content of available 

 phosphorus, and requires no limestone to grow sweet clover. This soil yielded 

 1,514 pounds more stover and 20.2 bushels more grain per acre than Sidell silt 

 loam, which is less fertile, lower in available phosphorus, and more acid in reaction. 



The composition of the stover from each soil in this field is given in 

 table 15. 



Table 15.- — Mineral composition of corn stovers 1 grown in different (untreated) soils 



in the same field 



[Wimer (596)] 



Soil type 



N 



P 



K 



Ca 



Drummer clay loam 



Percent 



0.83 



.86 



Percent 



0.115 



.082 



Percent 



0.79 



.31 



Percent 

 0.24 



Sidell silt loam. 



.21 







i Moisture-free basis. 



