MANGANESE UNDER ACID AND NEUTRAL SOIL CONDITIONS. 
11 
acting on the organic soil constituents in such a manner as to pro- 
duce changes injurious to the growing crops. 
The stimulation of the • oxidative processes by manganese was 
favorable in the soil kept under neutral or alkaline conditions by 
applying lime year by year, and these oxidative processes acting in 
turn on the organic or inorganic constituents of the soil produced 
changes beneficial to the growing crops. 
SUMMARY. 
In a 6-years' field test of manganese sulphate used at the rate of 
50 pounds per acre on an acid silty clay loam, its effect each year 
Fig. 3.— Effect of manganese on rye. Straw and grain from check plat, on the left; from plat treated 
with manganese, on the right. 
was not beneficial to the crops grown — wheat, rye, corn, cowpeas, 
and potatoes. The soil in the various plats required from 1,780 to 
about 2,750 pounds of CaC0 3 to neutralize the first 6 inches. The soil 
is of an acid character, is low in organic matter, rather bad physically, 
and naturally has a poor oxidizing power. The oxidative processes 
in the soil were lessened by manganese in most of the plats under 
the acid condition. 
