38 The Colorado Experiment Station 
nitrates present. The fact is that in some samples we have had to 
combine the nitric acid with these bases because there were no other 
acids with which to combine them. Another consideration will 
give an idea of the amount of nitrates in our samples, especially oi 
the surface samples, i. e., that the India saltpetre earth carries a 
total of nitrates varying from 1.6 to 12 per cent and that the caliche 
worked in Chile carries from 21 to 51 per cent while these samples 
carry from about two tenths to more than six per cent of the air 
dried soils. 
It may be thought that the amounts of nitric nitrogen given 
for our good agricultural soils are exceptional, even for Colorado, 
in order to answer any such misgiving which some may entertain, 
I append tables containing 100 determinations representing 64 dif¬ 
ferent fields. 
The following 46 samples represent as many different beet 
patches. The samples were taken to a depth of six inches, October 
1-15, 1909. 
NITRIC NITROGEN IN FORTY-SIX SAMPLES OF BEET SOILS. 
Results Given in Per Cent of Air-Dried Soil. 
1 . 
2 . 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6 . 
7. 
8 . 
9. 
10 . 
11 . 
12 . 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20 . 
21 . 
22 . 
23. 
0.001250 24.0.000200 
0.000050 25.0.000075 
0.006000 26.0.000100 
0.008000 27. Trace 
0.000120 28.0.000050 
0.002000 29.0.000025 
0.000075 30.0.000800 * 
0.000800 31.0.000025 
0.003500 32.0.010000 
0.000050 33.0.007000 
0.000800 34. Trace 
O'. 0 0 4 0 0 0 35. 0.000050 
0.000600 36. Trace 
0.000600 37.0.000100 
0.000100 38.0.002500 
0.002000 39.0.000150 
0.000075 40.0.001250 
0.000100 41.0.004000 
0.000200 42. Trace 
0.000200 43. 0.001500 
0.012000 44. 0.016000 
0.003500 45.0.001500 
0.000800 46. 0.000075 
The above samples represent a variety of soils on which beets 
are grown. Some of the land is low and heavy, some of it high, 
light and well drained. The table shows that the amount of nitrates 
represented in these soils varies from a trace to 1,920 pounds in 
the top six inches of soil. 
The following 54 samples from 18 different beet fields col¬ 
lected Jan. 26-31, 1910, show the amount of nitric nitrogen in the 
top six inches of the soil at this date. 
