35 
Nitrogen Fixation 
SAMPLES TAKEN OCTOBER 18, 1909. 
Per Cent Nitric Nitrogen 
From 2 in. From 6 in. 
Top 2 in. to 6 in. 
South of Agr’l Hall near N. end.0.000350 0.000300 
South of Agr’l Hall near S. end.0.000250 0.000250 
South of Agr’l Hall near W. side.0.000300 0.000070 
S. Agr’l Hall 50 ft. from Col. Ave. E. side.0.000800 0.000800 
South of Agr’l Hall, middle of field.... 0.000500 0.000150 
South of Agr’l Hall S. W. portion of field. . . trace none 
♦Alfalfa plot, Expt. Farm.0.002000 0.000700 
Alfalfa plots Expt. Farm between plots.. 0.001000 0.000600 
Alfalfa plots, Expt. Farm between healthy 
plants .0.001000 0.000200 
Alfalfa plots, Expt. Farm stand poor. . . .0.000600 0.000600 
Cornfield S. of alfalfa plot.0.000800 0.000250 
Unused roadway next to beet plot.0.001000 0.001000 
Beet plot, among the beets, between ditch 
and fallow spot .0.000400 0.000075 
Beet plot, fallow strip 150 ft. from W side.0.000800 0.000400 
Beet plot, middle of patch among beets. .0.000050 0.000025 
Beet plot, S. W. corner among beets.... 0.000175 0.000100 
Beet field, fallow spot.0.000400 0.000300 
Beet field, southeast portion among beets. 0.000250 0.000025 
Beet field, fallow strip near east end. . . .0.003500 0.001200 
Beet field, among beets near east end. . .0.000150 0.000025 
Beet field, among beets N. W. corner. . . .0.000300 trace 
Beet field, among beets middle N. side. . . .0.000100 trace 
Beet field, among beets W. side.0.000100 0.000025 
Grain field, south of beet field.0.000500 0.000450 
Oat field, north of beet field.0.000100 0.000025 
Virgin soil Sec. 4, T. 6, R. 59 W., top 6 in. 0.000800 
Virgin soil Sec. 34, T 6, R 59 W., top 6 in. 0.000800 
Virgin soil, Yuma County, Colo. 0.000120 
Soil Lab. No. 869, Rocky Ford, Oct. 11, 
1909 . 0.006400 
to 12 in. 
0.000200 
0.000500 
0.000100 
0.000800 
0.000250 
trace 
0|001000 
0.000800 
0.000300 
0.000600 
0.000100 
0.001800 
0.000050 
0.000400 
0.000025 
0.000100 
0.000200 
0.000025 
0.000800 
0.000025 
0.000050 
0.000050 
0.000050 
0.000250 
0.000050 
According to these results we find rather large amounts of 
nitric nitrogen in our surface soils. For instance the unused road 
way at the edge of the beet field gave in the top two inches on 
October 4, 0.005 P er cent nitric nitrogen. This is equivalent to 
0.03 per cent of sodic nitrate, 200 pounds per acre in the surface 
two inches of this soil. The roadway is really only a driveway 
between two plots of ground and has not been used, so that there 
was scarcely any more probability of the results having been influ¬ 
enced by the voidings of animals than any spot in the beet plot 
itself. The sample taken two days later gave nitric nitrogen equi¬ 
valent to 0.020 per cent of sodic nitrate. This would give 140 
pounds in the surface two inches. I am using 6 as the factor for con¬ 
verting nitrogen into sodic nitrate. The more exact factor is 6.0534. 
On October 16, we obtained much less, 40 pounds in the same 
depth of soil per acre. The alfalfa plot mentioned in these notes 
is a young nursery, the plants are small and set, I think 3x3 feet. 
♦This is a young nursery; the plants are very small and occupy only 
a small portion of the ground. 
