6 
Journal of Agricultural Research Voi. xxvi, No. i 
or a hydrolytic reaction causing acidity, is the main factor contributing 
to the decomposition of nitrites. There was only a small loss of nitrites 
from this soil at the end of 30 days. In order to observe the effects of a 
mixture of a slightly acid soil and a soil containing free alkali, 100 gm. 
of soil No. 11076 was added to 200 gm. of soil No. 12280. After 14 days 
about one-third of the nitrite had been lost, and after 6 weeks practically 
all had disappeared. Thus we observe that even in the presence of an 
alkaline medium there is a hydrolytic reaction and attendant reactions 
all of which liberate the nitrites. 
Particular interest attaches to observations made on the loss of 
nitrites in soils when the moisture content has been reduced. When 
the acid soils were air-dried before the determinations of nitrites were 
made, only a trace of nitrite was found. Consequently the determina¬ 
tions reported in the tables were made on the moist soil. The neutral 
soil No. 9673 showed 0.281 gm. of nitrite when determined on the moist 
soil, and o. 174 gm. when determined after the sample had been air-dried. 
Likewise soil No. 9675 gave 0.320 gm. and 0.198 gm. of nitrite for the 
respective determinations. Also soils No. 9615, 9618, and 9619 lost 
more of the nitrite when the moisture content was allowed to diminish 
between the 6 days’ and 30 days’ period. 
It is, perhaps, generally assumed that nitrites are rapidly changed 
to nitrates in the soil. When we consider, however, the difficulty attend¬ 
ing the oxidation of nitrites to nitrates in the commercial preparation of 
nitrates from the air, it is natural to question whether nitrites do change 
to nitrates in the soil. The acceptance of the above results warrants the 
general conclusion that nitrites applied to the soil in the concentration 
reported do not change to the nitrate form. Furthermore, the nitrites 
are rapidly decomposed and lost from acid soils, and, consequently, it 
would seem inadvisable to apply a fertilizer containing 14.5 per cent of 
nitrite nitrogen to this class of soils. With neutral and alkaline soils 
beneficial results may be obtained, depending upon moisture and other 
influencing conditions. This point can not be definitely settled until 
more conclusive results are obtained on the assimilation of nitrite nitrogen 
by plants. 
No reliable field observations have been made on the effects of this 
commercial product, although various favorable results have been 
reported. In these cases the crop increases may be attributed to the 
nitrate present. Furthermore, a possible beneficial effect may be derived 
from the partial sterilizing action on the soil by the decomposed nitrites. 
Further investigations must be made before this point can be definitely 
settled. 
CONCLUSIONS 
(1) Sodium nitrite is rapidly decomposed in acid soils, and the nitrite 
nitrogen lost. 
(2) The nitrite nitrogen is gradually lost in neutral soils, and more 
slowly in alkaline soils. 
(3) The oxidation of nitrites to nitrates was nil under the conditions 
described in these experiments. 
(4) The addition of calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxid to the 
acid soils retarded decomposition of nitrites, but did not aid nitrification 
of the nitrites. 
(5) It is inadvisable to apply a fertilizer composed mainly of sodium 
nitrite to an acid soil. 
