1906.] Experiments with Lime Nitrogen. 



39 



quantities to their members at about per ton. It contains 

 19 per cent, of nitrogen. 



Experiments for the purpose of testing its effect both on the 

 germination of seed and as a manure were carried out by 

 Dr. Haselhoff at the Agricultural Experiment Station at Mar- 

 burg* in 1903 and 1904, both by means of pot and field 

 experiments. 



The experiments as to its effect on germination were con- 

 cluded in 1903, and showed, generally, that the direct action of 

 lime nitrogen was injurious, but that the injury was dependent on 

 the length of time the nitrogen was given to the soil before the 

 seed was sown. Thus if soil which had received one-half per cent, 

 of lime nitrogen was employed, and sowing took place a week 

 after the manuring, the final result of the germinating test was 

 unaffected, both in the case of clover and mustard. If sand 

 alone was used, the germinating power of clover was somewhat 

 diminished, even when the manure was applied a fortnight 

 before ; and if the seed was sown in less than a fortnight, 

 germination did not take place. When mustard seed was used, 

 germination was prevented even after an interval of three weeks, 

 and injuriously affected after a month. Similar results, in a 

 greater or less degree, occurred if the proportion of lime nitrogen 

 was increased or diminished. 



In the pot experiments, undertaken to test its manurial value, 

 a ligh-t, loamy sand, containing in dry matter '060 per cent, 

 total nitrogen, -220 per cent, lime, '194 per cent, magnesia, 

 •100 per cent, potash, and "089 per cent, phosphoric acid, 

 received a suitable dressing of phosphates, potash, and lime, 

 while nitrogen was supplied partly by nitrate of soda and partly 

 by lime nitrogen. The nitrate of soda was applied as a top- 

 dressing, while the lime nitrogen was mixed with the soil. 

 Mustard was sown a fortnight later, but failed to come up in 

 the lime nitrogen pots ; the soil was therefore turned over and 

 seed again sown four weeks after the application of the lime 

 nitrogen, but without result. The operation was repeated at 

 an interval of six and a-half weeks, when only three seeds out 

 of a considerable number germinated. In each of the above 

 instances the amount of lime nitrogen applied was equivalent to 

 the amount of nitrate of soda known to give satisfactory results. 



* Landw, Jahrbiicher, Vol. 34. Deutsche Landw. Presse, 17th March, 1906. 



