On the sources of the nitrogen of vegetation; with special reference to the question whether plants assimilate free or uncombined nitrogen

Abstract

After referring to the earlier history of the subject, and especially' to the conclusion of Saussure, that plants derive their nitrogen from the nitrogenous compounds of the soil and the small amount of ammonia which he found to exist in the atmosphere, the Authors preface the discussion of their own experiments on the sources of the nitrogen of plants, by a consideration of the most prominent facts established by their own investigations concerning the amount of nitrogen yielded by different crops over a given area of land, and of the relation of these to certain measured, or known sources of it. On growing the same crop year after year on the same land, without any supply of nitrogen by manure, it was found that wheat, over a period of 14 years, had given rather more than 30 lbs.—barley, over a period of 6 years, somewhat less—meadow-hay, over a period of 3 years, nearly 40 lbs.— and beans, over 11 years, rather more than 50 lbs. of nitrogen, per acre, per annum. Clover, another leguminous crop, grown in 3 out of 4 consecutive years, had given an average of 120 lbs. Turnips, over 8 consecutive years, had yielded about 45 lbs.