The Fixation oe Nitrogen. 51 
justified in assuming that no considerable rise in the water table 
has taken place for a number of years, and further that it is 
reasonably low. 
The ordinary soil analysis shows nothing which we might 
interpret as indicative of any deficiency or trouble. 
Case No. 19 —While this number is used to designate a 
specific locality, it will embrace a number of minor occurrences 
within a stretch of country about five miles long, lying approxi¬ 
mately one hundred and fifty feet above the river bottom. Portions 
of this mesa are seeped and a drainage system has been put in, 
with what results I am not able to state, but it is claimed that it 
has been of benefit. 
This section was scarcely more than referred to in Bulletin 
155, as only two analyses, one of an alkali, Laboratory No. 595, 
and the other of the water-soluble portion of a soil, Laboratory 
No. 588, were given with a very meagre statement of the condi¬ 
tions. These samples were taken in 1907. It is true that attempts 
have been made to drain the land since that time, and the water 
conditions have doubtlessly been ameliorated, but this nitrate con¬ 
dition has, in my judgment, become more intense, for in 1909 
and 1910 there were many patches of nitrates which could not 
escape the attention of anyone, and which were not present in 1907; 
besides, the analyses of samples taken in 1907 are by no means 
so rich in nitric acid as the samples gathered in 1909 and 1910. 
There are many points in regard to which my information 
is not satisfactory, for instance, it is almost impossible, at this 
time, to obtain reliable data relative to conditions only a few years 
ago. The properties have changed hands and the present owners 
will very often make positive statements about conditions which 
cannot be substantiated. The fact is that they are so averse to 
acknowledging ignorance of these things that they prefer to give 
you such statements as it pleases them to make. The owner of 
the land which is, perhaps, becoming worse each succeeding year 
does not like to rehearse his misfortunes, especially if he suspects 
that you may be a prospective buyer of his or other property in 
the neighborhood. Many of them feel that it is disloyalty to their 
community to acknowledge patent facts. This trait, in their judg¬ 
ment, and in that of many others, may be wholly praiseworthy, 
but it hinders greatly in a study of this sort in which one has, in 
a measure, to depend upon the testimony of the residents for man)' 
facts in the recent history of a section. That there was a period 
of greater prosperity for this section is attested by the remnants 
of orchards, fields which a few years ago were productive, aban¬ 
doned houses now falling into decay, etc. These witnesses to the 
very poor judgment of former occupants or to a period of better 
