THE ACTIVITY AND AVAILABILITY OF INSOLUBLE NITROGEN IN

THE JOURNAL OF INDCSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY. Vol. 8 .... -4 1. 0. 80. 109. 8. 56. -7. Dry Tops. N ih Dry Tops. Avail-. Grams. Per cent. Gram...
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T H E JOURNAL OF I N D C S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

It should be noted t h a t the soil used in this experiment had a rather high requirement, and t h a t if the requirement as determined when using I O g. soil t o I O O cc. of solution was t h e correct figure, 2 0 g. of t h e soil should be more t h a n sufficient t o exhaust I O O cc. of t h e Ca(HC03)2 solution. As a matter of fact, only about three-fourths of t h e total amount of C a C 0 3 was decomposed b y t h e 2 0 g. charge. T h e soils under investigation showed a requirement of about one-third t h e total calcium carbonate in I O O cc. bicarbonate solution when 2 0 g. of soil were used; t h e evaporations were carried t o dryness as rapidly as possible. and stirred several times meanwhile. The residual C 0 2 was determined b y t h e hXarr method. The Hutchinson method seems t o be affected t o some extent b y allowing t h e soil and Ca(HC03)2 solution t o remain in contact for a period longer t h a n 3 hours. Thus, a determination in which 40 g. soil was shaken with 2 0 0 cc. C a ( H C 0 3 ) * solution for 3 hours indicated a calcium absorption of 3025 lbs. per acre; I O O g. of t h e same soil shaken with 500 cc. of t h e same bicarbonate solution for 3 hours, then allowed t o stand over night, on titration showed a requirement of 3600 lbs. per acre. The soil used for this experiment was f r o m plot treated with muriate of potash, T h e bicarbonate extract of t h e soil showed b u t a faint trace of chlorine, no potassium, b u t traces of sodium a n d magnesium. The calcium in t h e bicarbonate extract b y permanganate titration was only about 0 . 4 cc. lower t h a n t h e figure obtained by direct titration with acid, both being on t h e A.'/IO basis. This shows t h a t with t h e Hutchinson method interchange of bases plays b u t a very subordinate p a r t and t h e chief factor is absorption. The method will sometimes show a lime requirement in t h e case of a soil which contains a great excess of carbonate. For this work, 2 0 g. soil t o 2 0 0 cc. solution was t h e the air in the \Vas by coz, the bottle securely stoppered, shaken for 3 hours, immediately filtered, and I O O cc. of the filtrate titrated Orange; IOo cc. Of the with "/Io HC1, using original solution was titrated in the same way. The Vacuum method, i t will be noticed, invariably shows t h e highest figures for t h e lime requirement; this is doubtless because t h e conditions of the method are such t h a t t h e decomposition of CaCO3 b y the Soil can proceed t o a maximum without hindrance. OHIO AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION W O O S T E R , OHIO

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THE ACTIVITY AND AVAILABILITY OF INSOLUBLE NITROGEN IN FERTILIZERS A S SHOWN BY CHEMICAL AND VEGETATION TESTS' By F. R. PEMBERA N D BURT I,. HARTTVELL

Received July 30, 1915

since 1908 t h e Agricultural ~ ~ Station of t h e Rhode Island State College has conducted vegetation tests in pots under greenhouse conditions t o ascertain the availability of t h e water-insoluble 1 Contribution 217 of t h e Agricultural Experiment StationTof t h e Rhode Island S t a t e College.

Vol. 8, SO. 3

nitrogen of certain brands of commercial fertilizers collected in t h e state, and in various nitrogenous substances, such as Kanona tankage, rape meal, castor pomace, etc. Until t h e season of 1910,this station had employed no means, except t h e vegetation test, €or differentiating between t h e organic nitrogen of one brand of commercial fertilizer and t h a t of another. I n March, 1910,t h e directors of t h e New York, New Jersey and New England Stations adopted t h e alkaline permanganate methodl as a means of distinguishing between the more or less active forms of t h e water-insoluble organic nitrogen of mixed fertilizers. The Rhode Island Station, having already secured results b y t h e vegetation method showing a wide variation in t h e availability of t h e water-insoluble nitrogen of certain commercial fertilizers, submitted t o Mr. C. H. Jones, for activity tests b y t h e alkaline permanganate method, some of t h e same nitrogenous materials as were used in t h e vegetation tests and he, without knowing t h e vegetation results, secured a close agreement.2 I-EFFECT

e

O F SEASOh- OhT P L A N T G R O W T H

I n carrying on vegetation tests a t different seasons of t h e year, i t was felt t h a t t h e season and different soil conditions might have a very important influence upon t h e relative growth of a plant or different kinds of plants. With this in view two experiments were conducted: the j y s t from November 1 1 , 1910, t o February I j , 1911, a n d t h e secoizd from February 23, 1911,t o M a y 30, 1 9 1 1 : thus 96 days elapsed between planting a n d harvesting. I n both experiments, 6-inch galvanized iron pots were used, each containing I lb. of soil and 6.5 lbs. of a medium fine, fresh-water beach sand. Oat and rye plants were grown in pots having t h e same mixture of sand a n d soil, and oats alone T ~ e r grown e in a mixture of the Same sand and a different soil: t h e treatmentof all the pots was t h e same, with the exception of t h e nitrogenous material which was added to furnish o.I g, of nitrogen per pot except where t h e amount of blood was doubled. ill1 of the pots received 3 g. of potassium sulfate and 8 g. of acid phosphate, The mixture of sand and soil \\ras changed in each pot for t h e second experiment SO t h a t t h e two were identical in every mTay, except for t h e season of year in which they were conducted. It will be seen from the weights of t h e dry tops as given in Table I t h a t t h e plants growing from February 23rd t o May 30th made a greater growth in every instance t h a n those growing f r o m Sovember 11th t o February I j t h under late fall and early winter conditions. The per cent of nitrogen in t h e dry tops of t h e first experiment was enough larger, however, t h a n t h a t in those of t h e second experiment t o make t h e total amount of nitrogen recovered in t h e tops much ~alike in the~ two experiments ~ having i t h e same ~ treatment. 1 Report on G t r o g e n , C. H. Jones, Referee, hssociation of Official ilgricultural Chemists. Proceedings of t h e Twenty-seventh .4nnual Convention, 1910. 2 "The Availability of Insoluble Kitrogen in Certain Commercial Fertilizers," B. I,. Hartwell and F. R. Pember, THISJOURNAL, 3 (19111,584.

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T H E JOURNAL OF INDL’STRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

Mar., 1916

Plants having t h e double amount of blood showed a marked increase in yield and nitrogen recovered over those having half as much, while plants having their nitrogen in t h e form of garbage tankage, or fertilizer No. 2 were unable t o recover in their tops any more nitrogen t h a n those receiving no nitrogen in t h e manures. The rye plants were unable t o make as great a growth as the oats under t h e same condition, b u t t h e relative

247

growth in all of t h e pots. The average weight from t h e no-nitrogen pots was 36.2 g. of dry tops as compared with 49.2 g. from those receiving blood, or a difference of 13 g. Since there was very little lack of nitrogen in t h e soil, as shown by t h e oat crbp, and as t h e millet had t h e benefit of any nitrogenous residues’ left by t h e oats, together with a like nitrogen application as in t h e first experiment, t h e weights of t h e two crops are taken

T A B L EI-SHOWING THE RELATIVEAiJAILABILITIES OF NITROGENFOR DIFFEREKTPERIODS.CROPSAND SOILS R Y E IN S A N DA N D “ L A R K I N SOIL” OATS IN S A N DA N D “ L A R K I NSOIL’’ OATS IN S A N DA N D “STATION SOIL” SOURCE OF

NITROGEN None Blood Blood (doubled Garbage tankage Fertilizer No. 1 Fertilizer No. 2

N ih D r y Tops Dry Tops N in Dry Tops Avail- Dry Tops Grams Per cent Gram Grams Per cent Gram ability I1 I I1 I I1 I I1 I I1 I I1 I I1 I 0.0557 8.39 9.39 0.89 0.86 0.0746 0.0807 0 0 0.0638 8.16 10.92 0.88 0.76 0.0718 0.0829 0.0923 10.52 13.73 0.85 0.76 0.0894 0 1043 80 80 0.0987 8.92 13.65 1.10 0.86 0.0981 0.1173 0.1307 13.18 16.15 0.99 0.83 0.1304 0.1340 289 109 0.1328 13.80 13.78 0.92 0.99 0.1269 0.1364 0.0573 8.49 10.66 0.91 0.77 0.0772 0.0820 0.0611 16 8 8.65 10.40 0.89 0.79 0.0769 0.0821 0.0714 93 56 9.49 12.61 0.86 0.79 0.0816 0.0996 0.0759 10.44 12.64 0.89 0.75 0.0929 0.0948 0.0561 7.62 9.26 1.08 0.79 0.0822 0.0731 -4 1 -7 0.0594 7.45 10.43 0.96 0.80 0.0715 0.0834 ~~

growth in comparison with 80, as representing t h e increase in yield of t h e plants receiving t h e smaller amount of blood over those t o which no nitrogen was added, was much t h e same in all. 11-STANDARD

O F COIIPARISOiY F O R N I T R O G E N AVAILABILITY TESTS

The results in Table I1 are from vegetation tests conducted in 8-in. Wagner pots containing about 1 2 lbs. of a n air-dry, light, sandy loam soil, which, previous t o liming in preparation for t h e experiment, had been deficient in available nitrogen under field conditions. The water-insoluble nitrogen used, aside from t h a t in t h e blood, came from brands of commercial fertilizers sold in S e w England in 1910, which by the alkaline permanganate method showed a wide range in activities. The oats grew from n’ovember 1 1 , 1910, t o March 2 0 , 1911. The same pots were replanted June 10th with Japanese millet, which grew until August 25th. T A B L E11-POT

... . .

None. . .. . . Fertilizer 5 17, , , , Fertilizer A 2 . , , . Fertilizer C10.. , . Fertilizer (214.. , Fertilizer G 3. . . , Dried Blood. , . , . Dried Blood and Extra Phosphorus.. . ... . . . Dried Blood, doubled.. . . . . . h’itrate of S o d a . .

.

TESTS ON SOIL DEFICIESTIK NITROGEN

42.0 53.5 56.5 51.0 57.0 49.5 50.0

48.5 4 4 . 0 48.0 54.0 47.0 50.0 54.0 52.0 54.5

37.5 37.5 42.0 41.5 40.0 44.0 48.0

35.5 47.5 43.0 36.0 41.0 41.0 50.5

53.0

53.0

44.0

46.5

55.0 61.0

57.0 54.0

61.0 49 0

61.0 52.0

35.5

0 50

49.0

65 27 51 52 80

..

70 39 30 34 37

..

Before each planting all of t h e pots received optimum amounts of potassium and phosphorus in sulfate of potash, Thomas slag and acid phosphate. The accompanying nitrogen application was 0.1 g. of nitrogen per pot. The soil proved t o be only slightly deficient in nitrogen with t h e first crop, oats, for t h e average weight of dry tops from t h e no-nitrogen pots was 44.8 g., a n d from those receiving blood, 5 2 . 2 g., a difference of only 7.4 g. The millet made a fair

Avail- D r y Tops ability I I1 IGramIS1 0 0 4.35 6.20 4.50 6.57 80 80 6.40 8.79 6.91 8.13 170 1.69 9.18 11.11 8.31 10.60 0 6 3.59 5.69 4.16 5.72 44 50 4.94 7.23 5.49 7.01 -14 13 3.75 6.88 4.13 6.38

Availability I I1 0 0

80

80

155

173

-20 28 -17

-26 28 9

together in calculating t h e relative availability of t h e water-insoluble nitrogen in t h e various fertilizers. This is based arbitrarily on 80 as representing t h e increase in growth caused by the dried blood (when nitrate of soda is used as t h e standard of comparison t h e increase caused by it is usually considered as roo). I t will be seen readily t h a t by this method of expressing t h e availability of t h e water-insoluble nitrogen in t h e various nitrogenous substances, t h e greater t h e difference in growth between t h e plants receiving no nitrogen a n d those receiving dried blood, t h e less t h e effect of small differences in growth will be upon t h e degree of availability. When t h e difference is just 80 g., then a variation of I O g. in growth would change t h e availability only I O points while with a difference of only 40 g., a variation of I O g. in yield would change t h e availability 20 points. As might be expected, considering t h a t t h e plants were grown in soil in which there was no marked deficiency of nitrogen, t h e activity values (per cent of t h e insoluble nitrogen which is “active” or is liberated by t h e alkaline permanganate method from t h e waterinsoluble nitrogen) for t h e fertilizers were not in close accord with t h e vegetation results. 111-VEGETATION

T E S T S O F F E R T I I I Z E R S SOLD I N R H O D E ISLAND

Vegetation experiments have been conducted during t h e last four winters, using one or more brands of commercial fertilizer from most of the different companies doing business in the state of Rhode Island, t o test t h e availability of t h e water-insoluble nitrogen as compared with nitrogen in blood, and also t o show t o what extent t h e availability as shown b y t h e oat crop agreed with t h e activity obtained by the alkaline permanganate or neutral permanganate method. Most of t h e fertilizers chosen for t h e tests were those containing at least 0.7 5 per cent water-insoluble nitrogen having a n activity of less t h a n 6 j by t h e alkaline permanganate method. The fertilizers were ground fine enough to pass through a I mm. sieve and washed free of water-soluble nitrogen. The washing a t first

was by decantation hut finally all of the material was placed on the filter and washed until I j cc. of distilled water per gram of t h e original material had been used. After t h e washed material had been

Cllecl

T'ol. 8 , No. 3

T H E J O U R N A L OF I,VDUSTRIAL A N D EiVGI.VEERING C H E M I S T R Y

248

Fcrf. ' ~ 7

Pert. 982

Pcrt. 36

Blood

Sitrilt~

of Soda

Triple Blood

allowed t o dry a t a low temperature, it x a s resifted and analyzed for nitrogen, Dried blood, t h e same as used for the standard, was subjected t o t h e same grinding and washings as t h e fertilizers; another sample. of blood was also included for comparison with the first. Two pots having aluminum nitride were included in t h e experiment. Eight-inch Wagner pots were used for these tests. The soil medium mias composed of about 1 5 lbs. of fine, dry sand, a n d 3 Ibs. of dry soil which under field Optimum conditions was deficient i n nitrogen. =mounts of potassium and phosphorus were provided in sulfate and muriate of potash, potassium magnesium carbonate, acid phosphate and Thomas slag. For the first three winters each pot receired 20 g. of wellrotted, finely chopped hay. In 1 9 1 1 the sand and soil were inoculated with 2 j o cc. of a garden soil extract and the nitrogen application was 0 . 3 g. per pot. Oats were planted in all of t h e pots December 2 7 , 1911,and harvested April 9, 1 9 1 2 , just as the best plants were ready t o put out heads. Fig. I shows t h e general condition of t h e plants t h e week before they were harvested. The results of t h e tests appear in Table 111. I n selecting the 1 9 1 1 brands for repetition in 1 9 1 2 , those showing in most cases a rather marked difference between the availability a s determined by the oat plant and thc activity by t h e alkaline permanganate method, were chosen. The 1 9 1 2 crop was allowed t o mature and produce grain. I t will be seen by Table 111 t h a t t h e relative availability as shown by t h e two vegetation tests agrees quite closely; t h a t t h e addition of t h e extra phosphorus was not needed and t h a t t h e nitrogen in t h e water-extracted blood was just a s available as t h a t in t h e unextracted. Aluminum nitride proved t o he utterly worthldss. The relative amounts of nitrogen determined in t h e dry tops correspond very closely with t h e relative

availability obtained from the weights of t h e dry tops. The amount of nitrogen in the dry tops of t h e 1912 oats grown with fertilizer Yo. 1 7 was found t o be 0.9594 g., representing a relative availability of 6 3 . I n securing t h e relative availability based upon t h e nitrogen in t h e 1 9 1 2 oat plants, t h e amounts given in Table V for t h e plants receiving blood a n d no nitrogen respectively were used. For purposes of comparison a n availability for the oat plant of less than 4 j as related t o one of 80 for dried blood is in t h e present paper considered as representing inferior water-insoluble nitrogen. Likewise a n activity of less than 80 by the neutral, and less t h a n 5 5 by the alkaline method is herein considered as indicating inferior material. With these bases of comparison i t will he seen in Table I11 t h a t 7 of t h e 18 fertilizers were shown by the oat plant t o have inferior insoluble nitrogen, of which 4 were also detected by the alkaline method and 5 by t h e neutral method. The alkaline method rated fertilizer 5 1 a s poor with a n activity of 50 while t h e availability was only 46; and t h e neutral method rated fertilizer j 3 as poor, with a n activity of 79 while t h e availability was 49. TABU III-VEOBTATION Tesrs

ON

Ps~rirrieasSOLO IN RAODB ISLAND Availability of Nitrogen lor

Activity by PFTmanganate Methods 0

Z

............ ..... .... .... ..... ....

None Fertilizer 8 5 . . ..... Fertilizer 3 6 . . Fert/lizer 9 8 8 . . Fertilizer 3 4 . . ..... Perfilieer 9 3 6 . . Fcrfilirer 7 5 . . Fertilizer 9 5 8 . . Fertilizer 6 7 . . . . . . . Perfiliicr 2 6 . . . . . . . Pertilizcr 1 7 . . . . . . . rcrtiiiler 982...... Fertilizer 9 9 7 . . Fertilizer 7 2 . . ~ ~ ~ t 2i 8i. . i. .~. .~. r I'ertilizer 5 1 . . Fertilizer 7 7 . . . . . . . I'ertilizrr 5 0 . . . . . . . Fertilizer 5 3 . . . . . . . Aluminum Nitride. Dried Blood.. Dried nlood+cxtra Phorp horue ...... 25 24 Dried l4lood. waterextracted.. ...... 24 25.5 Dried Blood. triple n,,,o,m.. ....... 61.5 60.5 Dried Blood. 30.5 27.5 another sample 43.539.5 X i l r s f e of Soda..

0 66 70 42 84 74

58 4n 49 40

.... ..... .....

0

., .. 52 97

..

.. .. .. ..

57 24 8 2') 32 44 27

63 20 9

10

II

49

..

..

47

..

5 ; 6

-

....

69 71 79 71 77 72 66 67 65

86 92 87 93 90 92 83 80 83

59

81

60 58 52 50

77

50

..

49 4' 60

70 80 79 ni 70 55 79

....

80

.. 80

.......... ..........

81

..

. . . .

82

..

. . . .

..........

246

..

.......... ..........

I02

..

. . . . . . . .

-I

.....

... ..

N

2 0 '

SlTROCeN

-

. E 2

Oats

SOURCE OF

158

..

. . . .

. . . .

Table IV gives t h e activities secured by t h e alkaline and neutral permanganate methods,' and, with certain modifications of t h e latter by Mr. R. A. Lichtenthaeler, on the water-insoluble nitrogen in t h e commercial fertilizers used in t h e previous vegetation tests. The modifications of t h e neutral permanganate method consisted of changes in t h e reaction of t h e solution by the addition of Na2C0s, C a C 0 8 or HzSOd and in t h e time a n d temperature of digestion. All of the activities obtained by means of the different modifications were lower t h a n those obtained by t h e unmodified method; in most cases they were much lower. 3 J. P. Street. "Note on the Neafrsl Permanganate Method lor the Availability of Organic Nitrogen." T ~ r JOURNAL. s 4 (1912). 437.

Mar., 1916

T H E JOCRA'AL O F I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G CHEIWISTRY

Digesting for 18 hours at 25' C. with NazCOs present gave the highest activities of the various modificationsbut the average of the activities was 19 points lower than those secured by the unmodified method of digesting at the temperature of boiling water for half an hour, while digesting for 30 minutes at 40' C. reduced the average of the activities 26 points, and digesting for 30 minutes at 60' C. without Xa2CO3 present reduced the average of the activities 37 points. Substituting CaC03 for Na2C03 and digesting for 30 minutes at 40' C. reduced the average of the activities 32 points, or 6 points lower than where Na2C03was used under otherwise like conditions. Acidifying the solutions to NIioo with H2S04and digesting for 30 minutes at 40' C. gave the lowest activities of any of the modifications, while digesting for 18 hours at 25 C., otherwise under like conditions, raised the average of the activities more than I O points. O

IV-SECOND

TESTS O F TANKAGES, ETC.

After t h e vegetation results of t h e water-insoluble nitrogen in certain fertilizers sold in t h e state in 1911 had been obtained, t h e manufacturers were informed of such result as concerned them individually, a n d in certain cases, where t h e availability was very low, the manufacturer sent a sample of tankage direct from his factory, claiming such sample was t h e basis of his 1911 goods. These, with tankages collected in the state in 1912,a n d also samples of castor pomace, rape meal, a n d Kanona tankage, were subjected t o t h e same treatment as the commercial fertilizers. Blood from t h e same lot as used in 1911 for t h e standard was again used, a n d pots receiving their nitrogen in calcium nitrate a n d American Calcium Cyanamid were included. The nitrogen application was 0.6 g. per pot except where t h e extra amount of blood was used. Two of the pots t o which dried blood was applied each received 7 . 2 2 g. C. P. CaC08 t o ascertain whether t h e effect of t h e Calcium Cyanamid might be attributable in part t o its calcium, a n d two others TABLEIV-ACTIVITY DETERMINATIONS O F THE WATER-INSOLUBLE NITROGEN IN CERTAIN COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS, B Y THE NEUTRAL

PERMANGANATE METHODWITH CERTAINMODIFICATIONS: DIGESTIONWITH KMnOa SOLUTION With NazCOa Without With With PermanFertilganate NazC08 N/100 HxSOa CaCOs izer Method 40' C. 25' C. 25' C. 40' C. 25' C. 40" C. No. Alk. K e u t . 1/z hr. 18 hrs. l / z hr. 1/z hr. 18 hrs. '/z hr. 85 . . . . . . . 69 86 53 64 50 10 25 14 36 . . . . . . . 71 .. .. .. 92 67 .. 57 988.. , . , . . 79 20 42 37 87 83 .. 59 40 3 4 . . . . . . . 71 -2 17 14 73 64 93 77 936.:. , 44 16 29 23 66 90 57 75 . . . . . . . 72 19 29 23 48 57 92 60 13 ~. 958 ....... 66 41 13 20 56 47 83 6 7 . . . . . . . 67 27 52 23 35' 68 80 59 2 6 . . , . , , , 65 16 44 12 22 63 83 52 60 17 . . . . . . . 59 14 14 20 81 57 38 70 982 . . . . . . 60 47 17 23 77 47 36 997 . . . . . . . 58 21 27 24 70 54 32 58 72 . . . . . . . 52 .. .. .. 40 80 43 .. 28. . . . . . . 50 79 21 26 22 56 46 49 5 1 . . . . . . . 50 81 .. .. .. 64 .. 55 77 . . . . . . . 49 70 61 26 39 30 50 52 s o . , . . . . . 45 55 12 12 16 40 36 5 3 . . . . . . . 60 79 61

--

t..

received a half more t h a n t h e regular application of potassium a n d phosphorus. Oats were planted in all of t h e pots on January 2 0 , 1913,a n d were allowed t o mature seed. I t will be seen in Table V t h a t t h e plants receiving their nitrogen in ordinary tankage, castor pomace, rape meal or some of t h e fertilizers were as good, if not better, t h a n those receiving it in blood. The amount of nitrogen in t h e dry tops was determined in certain cases. Here again t h e amount of nitrogen found in each case bore about t h e same relation t o t h e standard as t h e weight of t h e dry tops. Plants de-

249

pendent upon Kanona tankage for their nitrogen were unable t o make a very satisfactory growth, showing a n availability of 39 compared with 80 for blood. The 0.6 g. of nitrogen per pot in American Calcium Cyanamid proved quite injurious t o t h e young plants, but they were able t o recover sufficiently t o make a fair growth. Accepting t h e same arbitrary standard as used in t h e preceding experiment for classifying t h e waterinsoluble nitrogen in fertilizers, we find t h a t of t h e 18 fertilizers tested by t h e oat plant as given in Table V, 6 were shown t o have inferior insoluble nitrogen. The alkaline method detected 3 of t h e poor ones and condemned 2 more with availabilities of 54 and 50. The neutral method detected t h e 6 poor ones, and also condemned 4 moie which had availabilities of 81, 74, 54 and 50, respectively. I n conducting t h e vegetation availability test of t h e water-insoluble nitrogen in some of t h e fertilizers collected in 1913, 5 g. of corn meal was added t o each pot with t h e regular fertilizer application a n d rotted hay, except t h a t two of t h e pots t o which t h e TABLEV-SECOND

SERIES

OF

TESTSO N TANKAGES,ETC

zz

2 Activity by Permanganate Methods

Weight

of

Air-Dry Oat Tops Grams

SOURCE OF

NITROGEN None..... 27.5 26 30 Fertilizer 222. 75 76.5 Fertilizer 155, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.5 59.5 Fertilizer 235. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75.5 74 Fertilizer 177, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.5 47.5 Fertilizer 182, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.5 77 Fertilizer 157. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78.5 81.5 Fertilizer 147.. 89 89.5 53 56.5 Fertilizer 163. 80.5 79.0 Fertilizer 179.. 36.5 32 Fertilizer 2 18. 71.5 70.5 Fertilizer 263.. 69 5 65.5 Fertilizer 230. Fertilizer 240. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77.5 73.5 Fertilizer 21 1,. 47.5 43 Fertilizer 210.. 33 32.5 Fertilizer 212. 63 62.5 59.5 61 29.5 30.5 82 85.5 78 76 84.5 92 Tankage 22 ................. 85 78 Castor Pomace 96.5 94 Rape m e a l . . . . . 88.5 93.5 Kanona Tankage.. .......... 52 53.5 Dried Blood. . , 78 81.5 78.5 Dried Blood C exi;a'Lime.. . 80 78.5 Dried Blood extra PotasPhosphorus.. . . . . . . 83.5 75.5 sium Dried Blood (triple amount). , 116.5 Calcium N i t r a t e . . 104 111.5 American Cyanamid.. ... 70.5 72.0 ( a ) Tops from one pot.

................. ..............

............. .............. ............. .............. .............

.............. ............. .............

.

+

+

...........

0.2045

0

... ... ... .... 1.1299 . . . 0.8088 . . . . . .

... ... ... bi . . . 45 . . . . . .

......

......

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.5115

12

0.8523

50

. . . . . .

......

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . ... . . . ...... ..

0:5361(a) . ,

. . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . .

0 74 51 73 34 76 81 95 42 81 10 67 62 74 27 8 54 50 3 87 76 94 83 105 98 39 80 79 81

.. .. ..

..

64 64 63 63 62 62 61 61 60 60 59 58 56 54 53 51 41 28

..

..

85 84 86 68 81 84 90 68 75 51 83 83 77 77 59 71 66 67

..

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

standard amount of blood was added, received neither t h e corn meal nor t h e hay. The addition of corn meal was made after considering t h e results obtained in t h e preceding experiment, in which plants having their nitrogen in t h e form of rape meal or castor pomace made larger growths t h a n with any other form of organic nitrogen used. It seemed probable t h a t t h e increase in growth was due t o t h e greater amount of carbonaceous material rather t h a n because t h e nitrogen was in t h e form of vegetable instead of animal matter. For some unexplained reason t h e oat plants having t h e standard application of blood together with rotted hay a n d corn meal made t h e very unsatisfactory growth of 49 grams of dry tops per pot while under like con-

T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

250

ditions, but without t h e rotted hay and corn meal, the weight was 67 grams per pot, which is nearly the normal weight for oat plants having t h a t amoun€ of nitrogen in blood when grown under like conditions for t h e same period, as shown by t h e preceding and succeeding experiments. Although t h e plants having extra blood made a good increase over those having the standard amount, namely 8 2 compared t o 49 grams dry tops per pot, t h e growth was about half t h e usual amount. Plants receiving their nitrogen in nitrate of soda made a normal growth. I n Table V I are given t h e weights of t h e dried tops cut May 1 1 , 1914, a n d their relative availabilities, also the activities b y t h e alkaline permanganate TASLBVI-Tesrr

O N 1913 FERTILIZBRS,BTC.

Weight of Air-Dry Oat-Tops Grams 24 60.5 48 24

63.5 51.5 38

38

48.5

19.5

76

52.5 26.5 SS.5 54.5

SO 6 66 55 28 23 48 46 69

37

si.s so

48,s 43.5 43,s 44

53.5 46.5 Potash and Dried Blood without

corn meal or

"

62.5

46 50 63.5 58.5 58.5 61 50 42.4 41.5 47

ACti""Y OY Alkalime Availability Permanof Nitrogen xanafe lor Oafs Method

67 48 37

36 42

so

..

68 56

Vol. 8 , No. 3

All of these materials were given the same laboratory treatment as t h e fertilizers. Two pots were included having oxamide, C,O,N,H,, prepared b y Dr. John E. Bucher, Brown University; likewise two with soot for use in plant growing, a n English importation. The fertilizing materials with CaCOa at t h e rate of two tons per acre were added t o t h e soil medium December 31, 1913, and t h e oats planted January 13, 1914. The weights of the dry oat tops and relative availabilities are given in Table VII, also t h e activities by the alkaline a n d neutral permanganate methods. The. activities for t h e material received from Dr. Brackett were obtained by averaging those reported from t h e different stations. Fig. I 1 shows t h e growth of oats without nitrogen a n d with a n equal amount of nitrogen in blood and in t h e water-insoluble part of the A. 0. A . C. material. I t will be seen b y t h e weights of the dry tops t h a t t h e addition of t h e extra potassium and phosphorus t o t h e standard blood pots did not change the growth

48

63

48 52 53 59 59 61 75 57 66 54 66 54

.. ..

!

.. ..

.. method, Inasmuch as t h e standard blood plants having rotted hay and corn meal mixed with t h e soil ,C;L made such a poor growth, thosc grown with t h c same amount of blood b u t without t h e rotted hay and corn. meal were takcn as t h e standard. On t h e bases stated previously, t h c oat plant condemned 6 of the 16 fertilizers tested as having inferior iIiO