Reclamation of black-alkali soils with various kinds of sulfur

Abstract does not appear. First page follows.

Introduction

In harmony with the suggestion of Lipman,⁽⁵⁾ O’Gara⁽⁷⁾ reported in 1917 that the application of elemental sulfur reduced the carbonate content of black-alkali soils. The results of laboratory and pot-culture tests by Hibbard⁽¹⁾ indicated that sulfur would be effective in the reclamation of such soils. Rudolfs,⁽⁸⁾ and Waksman et al.⁽¹⁰⁾ found that certain microörganisms produce active oxidation of sulfur in black-alkali soils. MacIntire., Gray, and Shaw⁽⁶⁾ found that to a limited extent nonbiological oxidation of sulfur also takes place in soil. Kelley and Thomas⁽³⁾ showed that elemental sulfur underwent oxidation in several black-alkali soils. The soils used contained soluble normal carbonate (CO₃) varying from 0.7 to 4.0 milliequivalents per 100 grams and chloride (Cl) varying from 0.3 to 12.6 milliequivalents per 100 grams. Kelley and Thomas⁽⁴⁾ also obtained satisfactory practical results by applying elemental sulfur to the black-alkali soil near Fresno, California. Samuels⁽⁹⁾ reported that the application of sulfur inoculated with a certain oxidizing bacterium (Thiobacillus thiödxidans) gave good results in alkali-reclamation experiments at Fresno.

Kinds of Sulfur Used

Five different kinds of sulfur were used in the laboratory experiments and four in the field experiments here reported. These were: (1) sulfur inoculated with the oxidizing bacterium, Thiobacillus thiödxidans; (2) uninoculated, finely ground elemental sulfur; (3) uninoculated coarse sulfur; (4) uninoculated colloidal sulfur; (5) uninoculated sulfur concentrate.