466 JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



It will be observed that -on the whole in each season the yield 

 was progressively less with increased acidity of the water used, and 

 that by the third season the growth had been greatly enfeebled in 

 all cases. The best results throughout were obtained with the neutral 

 water. In the second season this stands out prominently above all 

 the rest, the dividing line between moderate and poor growth by that 

 time being between the "2 parts" and "4 parts." In the third 

 season (1910) the differences were still more aecentuated; the grass 

 in two of the boxes was dead, in two other cases (" 4 parts " and 

 " 8 parts ") the yield was minimal; even the grass in the " 2 parts " 

 box was suffering severely, and, most interesting of all, the Leeds 

 rain was now definitely telling its tale — falling behind even the 

 ' 2 parts " box. 



The composition of the grass from the different boxes shows also 

 characteristic variations. It will be seen that with increased application 

 of acid there is a general tendency for the grass to become poorer in 

 nitrogenous matter and richer in crude fibre. This is a matter of much 

 significance to the agriculturist, since it implies a marked reduction in 

 the feeding value of the grass, and if it is borne out upon actual 

 meadow and pasture areas, is of considerable economic importance. 



At the end of the third season the soils in the boxes were sampled 

 and submitted to chemical and bacteriological analysis. 



The chemical analysis showed that the acid waters had brought into 

 solution appreciable quantities of the phosphates and potash of the 

 soil, and that also more ammonia was present in the soils that had 

 received the stronger doses of acid than in those that had received 

 purer waters. The relations were quite different, however, with regard 

 to the proportions of carbonate of lime left in the soil. The stock 

 of this essential ingredient had been almost exhausted by the more 

 acid waters. Further measurements of the powers of the soils to 

 absorb oxygen (a guide to fertility) showed that this had been greatly 

 decreased by the acid watering. 



The results of the bacteriological analysis were very illuminating. 



Table Vl. — Bactemological Investigation of Soils. 





Total number 

 of bacteria per 

 gram of dry 

 soil 



Ammonia pro- 

 duced (from 

 Peptone) in 

 3 days 



Ammonia con- 

 verted into 

 Nitrates in 

 21 days 



Nitrogen fixed 

 (per gram of 

 Mannite) iu 

 13 days 





thousands 



milligrams 



milligrams 



milligrams 



Garforth rain, neutralized . 



5228 



13-9 



1-02 



4-6 



„ „ ordinary 



1690 



12-7 



0-84 



3-7 



Leeds rain .... 



1170 



11-7 



0-73 



3-0 



1 part H.,SO, per 100,000 . 



1260 



121 



0-80 



3-3 



2 parts „ „ „ 



1100 



11-2 



0-85 



3-0 



4 



690 



10-5 



0-52 



2-8 



8 „ „ „ „ 



130 



10-3 



0-36 



2-4 



16 „ „ „ „ 



40 



10-3 



0-28 



1-9 



32 ,, „ „ „ 



15 



8-1 



0T3 



1-8 



It will be seen that the influence of the treatment with acid upon 

 the extent and character of the bacterial flora of the soil was very 



