A study of the nutrient status in corn plants grown on soil fertility plots of the Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi agricultural experiment stations was made with the Purdue plant tissue test technic. This was an efort to determine whether a deficiency in nitrogen, or potash or a lack of nutrient balances, or some other factors might be the principal causes for the numerous low corn yields in the South. In general, a lack of nitrogen was found to be the major factor limiting the yields of corn as shown by the plant tissue tests and by harvested results. Unless winter legumes were well fertilized with phosphorus and potassium, nitrogen was available in such small quantities for the corn that followed the legume that the plants were deficient in nitrates by tasseling time. Corn plants growing on plots where large crops of vetch had been plowed under consistently tested high in nitrates to the roasting ear stage. The plant tests showed that the practice of growing corn without until about 40 days after planting generally resulted in nitrogen starvation during the early growth period. In cases where cotton or some other well-fertilized crop did not precede the corn crop, as on the Georgia river terrace soil, the corn plants tested very low in phosphates. In general, the plant tissue that the amounts of phosphorus and potassium were adequate in the plants to balance the limited supply of nitrogen. omparing the amount of nitrogen which needs to be added as to produce 1 bushel of corn in the southern states with that needed in Indiana, it was found that in both regions approximately pounds (+/- 0.5) of nitrogen are required to make a bushel of corn.

A direct method for determining soil drought resistance to supplement field tests is described. Grass seedlings are grown for 6 to 8 weeks in the greenhouse and then given a soil drought treatment lasting from 6 to 9 days by placing them in a chamber designed to maintain constant environmental conditions of temperature (80 degrees F), light (175 foot-candles), relative humidity (30 to 35%), and air velocity (0.5 mile per hour). Seedlings surviving the drought treatment are allowed to recover under favorable growing conditions in the greenhouse. The percentage of plants renewing growth during the recovery period is used as the index of relative drought resistance of a species or strain. In preliminary trials the reaction of over 96,000 grass seedlings to the controlled soil drought treatment has been studied. The average survival values for species have been in agreement with their known behavior under natural conditions of critical drought. More important, however, was the wide variation observed between strains or seed sources within species. Although field data are available for only a small number of the strains tested, satisfactory correlation between field and greenhouse survival was obtained where comparisons were possible. The variability of strains within species suggests the possibility of breeding for soil drought resistance in grasses and the dangers of characterizing a species as to drought resistance from observations on a single strain or seed source.

Expansion of sugar beet acreage has always been hampered by the large amount of seasonal hand labor required, particularly in thinning and harvesting. There seems to be little question but that mechanization of sugar beet production will eliminate or reduce much of this seasonal labor requirement so that beets can compete more successfully with other commonly grown farm crops. Sufficient evidence is at hand to formulate a sound working basis for the production of the crop with extensive use of machines to replace hand labor. Details will need to be filled in, but with the large number of workers engaged in studying the various phases of the problem, it should not be long until mechanization of sugar beet production is widely accepted. There is reason to believe that the savings in labor resulting from mechanization may bring about a revolution in sugar beet production which may , in some respects, be comparable to that obtained in small grains by the development of the reaper, binder, and combines. If such is the case, there need be little concern over future expansion of sugar beet growing, since beet sugar can in all probability be produced with much more efficient use of man and machine power.

1. Field, greenhouse, and laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the influence of acidifying treatments on yield and chemical composition of plants growing on various calcareous soils. 2. In a field experiment on Taylorsville silty clay loam, which contains 5 to 8% lime, the yields of wheat, potatoes, and sugar beets were not increased by sulfur, sulfur and manure compost, or phosphoric acid over the yields of comparable nonacidified treatments. In a 12-year study on Millville loam, which contains over 40% lime, sulfur and rock phosphate added to manure did not result in better yields than manure treatments alone. 2. In greenhouse studies the yields of alfalfa, barley, and corn growing on three different calcareous soils were not significantly increased by acidifying treatments, including two rates of sulfur, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid, over yields obtained from comparable treatments that were not acidifying. Irrigation water acidified to pH 3.0 by sulfuric acid decreased the yield of alfalfa. 3. In a greenhouse test with two calcareous soils and one noncareous soil, water acidified to pH 3.0 and to pH 5.0 with sulfuric acid had no significant effect on the yield or mineral content of tomato plants, but the treatments decreased the yield of alfalfa. Results on the noncalcareous soil were not appreciably different from those on calcareous soils. In this same experiment banded applications of sulfuric acid, dried manure, and treble superphosphate in various combinations showed no distinctive effects on calcareous soil compared with their effects the noncalcareous soil in regard to yield, or to iron, manganese, or calcium contents of tomato plants. The treatment means for all soils indicate that manure bands alone increased the concentration of iron in the plants. Sulfuric acid added to the manure further increased the content of iron but did not increase the manganese. Treble superphosphate decreased the iron and manganese contents. But the specific effects varied from soil to soil and indicate no distinctive benefits from the acid treatments on calcareous soils compared with a noncalcareous soil. 5. Alfalfa following the tomatoes was significantly decreased in yield by acidified irrigation waters. Phosphate content of alfalfa was significantly increased by the banded treatment combination of manure, sulfuric acid, and concentrated superphosphate. Other treatment effects were not significant. 6. Irrigation with waters acidified to pH 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 with sulfuric acid decreased the pH of three soils somewhat in proportion to the degree of acidity of the water used, but in no case was the pH of calcareous soils lowered below 7.0. 7. Water-soluble calcium determinations gave more consistent values in relation to the effects of sulfur and sulfuric acid treatments than did pH. Phosphoric acid decreased the pH of some soils but did not increase the calcium solubility. Farm manure treatments did not result in changes in either pH or soluble calcium in soils. The acidifying treatments showed no relationship to phosphorus soluble in a pH 5 acetate buffered solution. 8. A consideration of the results of this study and other reported investigations on the use of acidifying materials on calcareous soils indicates that there is insufficient evidence to date to warrant any widespread recommendation of such treatments for benefiting plant nutrition and growth. The value of acidifying agents in preventing phosphate reversion in calcareous soils has not been studied extensively enough to warrant conclusions.

<abstract language="eng">The A. summarises the history of his first culture of acidfast bacillus isolated directly from leprosy lesions (Sample José) and refers about two samples recovered from guinea pig and white rat inoculated with said culture. Then the A. completes his previous descriptions of four cultures of acidfast bacilli isolated by him from ticks (Amblyomma cajaennense and Boophilus microplus, two cultures from each species) infected experimentally in lepers. The A. having found specimens of two species of Triatomidae (Triatoma infestans and Panstrongylus megistus) naturally infected with HANSEN bacillus in huts habited by lepers in the State of Minas Gerais (Dec. 1942), started a series of experiments, using larvae and nymphs of T. infestans bred in laboratory at the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, to infect in active cases of leprosy, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, could obtain two new samples of cultures of acid-fast bacilli (Ns. 6 and 7 of his set). In this papaer the A. studies the biological properties of said cultures, proving that Penicilin has not effect upon them, like other substances. The sulphuric and acetic acids were used to purify some of the cultures, with good results, the cultures becoming more rich and growing faster. Potassium hydroxide Sodium (10% solution) was also used with success to isolate and to purify the cultures, but it seems that it affects the bacilli in some way. In flud glycerinated media the majority of such cultures produce velum suitable for the preparation of antigens for skin tests and for therapeutical use. At last the A. says that he is becoming convinced that the HANSEN bacillus is in cause, especially after thee evidences of culturing the bacillus from one patient, in different opportunities.