Effect of Calcium Cyanamide. 



[OCT., 



The same publication gives (September 9th) the following 

 preliminary estimate of the approximate yield in the sixty-eight 

 Governments of European Russia :-— 



Crop. 



Average 

 for 



I 900- I 904. 



1905. 



Estimate 

 of 



Crop of 1906. 



Winter wheat 

 Spring wheat 



Rye 



Barley 



Oats 



Cwts. 



100,671,000 

 167,400,000 

 435,311,000 

 127,414,000 

 232,907,000 



Cwts. 

 117,148,000 

 186,043,000 

 350,582,000 

 144,771,000 

 242,582,000 



Cwts. 

 106,714,000 

 132,071,000 

 327,857,000 

 113,143,000 

 199,607,000 



Experiments have been carried out during the past six years 



at the Agricultural Experiment Station at Darmstadt with 



Lime Nitrogen (Kalkstickstoff) or Calcium 



Effect Of Calcium Cyanamide, and Professor Paul Wagner^ 

 Cyanamide. / . , , • u 



has recently issued a statement which 



summarizes the conclusions which have been arrived at up to 

 the present. He says that in pot experiments, where the 

 fertiliser is carefully mixed with soil of normal quality 

 and employed in moderate quantities, satisfactory results will 

 be obtained very closely approaching those from sulphate of 

 ammonia. On soils of an acid character, and on sandy soils 

 rich in humus but poor in lime the effect is small and uncertain. 



Where lime nitrogen is broadcasted, or ploughed or harrowed 

 into the surface, the effect under favourable conditions is equal 

 to that of sulphate of ammonia. Under some circumstances 

 the results obtained may be less than in the pot experiments. 

 This may be due (i) to a loss of nitrogen owing to the ammonia 

 passing off into the air ; (2) to the free ammonia interfering with 

 the development of the plant ; or (3) to a small portion of the 

 nitrogen being converted into dicyanamide, a combination which 

 is injurious to plants. The second cause is more likely to be 

 met with in sandy land and in dry weather. 



The view that calcium cyanamide is unsuitable for use as a 



* Deutsche Land. Presse, August i8th, 1906, For previous notices as to this 

 manure, see /otirnal, March, 1904, p. 506, May, 1905, p. loi April, 1906. p. 38 ; an 

 july, 1906, p. 216 



