A total of 430 topsoil samples were collected from ten fields of the Viikki Experimental Farm, University of Helsinki. Particle size distribution, organic carbon content, pH(CaCl2), exchangeable Ca, Mg, K contents, plant available P (Bray 1), 1 M KCI extractable (Al+H) content and effective cation exhange capacity of the soils were determined. The coefficient of variation was used as indicator of the variability of soil properties with in each field. The lowest coefficients of variation were observed for pH(CaCl2) and the highest for exchangeable Mg 1 M KCI extractable (Al+H) and effective cation exchange capasity. The results indicate that from 1 (pH(CaCl2)) to 33 (exchangeable Mg) samples per hectare are needed from individual fields for strict level of accuracy in estimation of the soil properties. For determination of soil type (according to clay content) and organic carbon content on average 8 samples, and for the plant available P (Bray 1) and exchangeable Mg and K contents 10 to 16 samples per hectare appear sufficient. Four samples suffice for a less stringent, lax accurate determination of all properties. The variability of soil properties is discussed from the viewpoint of agricultural advisory work and field experiments for agricultural research.

More magnesium, on average, is removed annually from agricultural soils in Finland in yields (10 kg/ha) and through leaching (20kg/ha) than is replaced as fertilizers (4 kg/ha), manure (7 kg/ha) and as wet or dry depositions from the atmosphere (1 kg/ha). The amount of magnesium which is applied in assosiation with liming agents (at the most 25 kg/ha) has a decisie effect on the magnesium balance of the soils, although liming itself reduces those magnesium reserves of the soil which are extractable in neutral ammonium acetate(1 M) or in calcium chloride (0,01 M). The effect of two amounts of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers on the spring cereal and cultivated ley yields, on the magnesium uptake and nutrient contents of the yields, and the effect of liming on the magnesium status of the soil was studied using field, pot and incubation experiments in order to gain an estimate of requirement for magnesium fertilization. The results obtained with magnesium sulphate fertilizer in the same experiments were also used as an indicator of requirement for magnesium fertilization. The ammonium acetate (1 M, pH 7) extractable magnesium in the soil appeared to be the most important source of magnesium for the plants and the best indicator of requirement for magnesium fertilization. For the intensive cultivation of grassland crops, the soil should contain about 15 mg/100g of this type of magnesium. In pot experiments, the plants took up only small amounts of not extractable magnesium. Increasing the nitrogen fertilizer dosage (pot experiments, 4,5 l soil: N1=1500 mg, N2=3000mg N per year, field experiments: N1=50 kg/ha, N2=100 kg/ha N per year) generally brought about an increase in the magnesium uptake and in the magnesium content of the grasses. When the experiments were carried out using coarse mineral soils, the magnesium uptake and magnesium content of the plants decreased during the second and third year as the amount of nitrogen fertilizer increased. This was caused by the low magnesium content of the soil (pot experiments: below 12 mg/100 g soil in neutral ammonium acetate extractable magnesium, field experiments: below 100 mg/l soil in acid ammonium acetate extractable magnesium). In these soils, magnesium fertilization (200 mg Mg for 4,5 l soil per year or 57 kg/ha per year) appeared to have a positive effect on the supply of magnesium to the plants. The heavy clay and sandy clays used in the pot experiment did not require magnesium fertilization. The magnesium in silty clays, which contain a high proportion of the silt fraction (0,02—0,2 mm), may be liberated too slowly for intensively cultivated grasses and it may be necessary to give additional magnesium as fertilizer. Increasing the potassium fertilizer level from 60 kg/ha to 240 kg/ha K per year significantly decreased the magnesium content of the plants. Judging by the quality of the crops, a high potassium fertilizer level appeared to increase the requirement for magnesium fertilization. In the case of muddy very finesand the yield and magnesium uptake of timothy decreased with an increase in the amount of potassium applied. Liming (90, 180 or 360 mg/100g soil Ca as CaCO3) decreased the amount of neutral ammonium acetate extractable magnesium, in seven mineral soils out of nine, by 2—24 % in comparison to the magnesium content of unlimed soils. Part of the fertilizer magnesium became not extractable, too.

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Nine mineral soils were incubated in laboratory without lime (Ca0) or limed (Ca1) with calcium carbonate (lab.reag.), and without magnesium fertilizer (Mg0) or fertilized with MgSO4*7H20 (Mg1 = 4 mg/100 g soil Mg). The incubation covered a period of seven weeks in aerobic conditions at constant 20 °C temperature. The relative increase in the effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) caused by liming seemed to be in coarse mineral soils greater than in clay soils. The differences in pH (CaCl2) values between soil types was not so evident. In seven soils of the nine, liming decreased the 0,01 M CaCl2 extractable magnesium content more than in 1 M KCI or in 1 M neutral ammonium acetate extractable magnesium contents. The limed soils contained ammonium acetate extractable magnesium 2—24 % less than the unlimed soils. The decrease in magnesium content was greatest in acid muddy silt (Littorina soil) and in acid silty clay. Without lime the I M KCI extractable (Al+H) contents of these soils were 6,6 and 2,2 me/100 g soil and pH (CaCl2) 3,9 and 4,5, respectively. In finesand soils liming seemed to increase the magnesium content although not significantly. In limed soils 17—73 %of the fertilizer magnesium was extractable in 0,01 M CaCl2, 67—100 % extractable in 1 M KCI and 57—100 % extractable in 1 M neutral ammonium acetate. The equivalent ratio of exchangeable (1 M ammonium acetate, pH 7) calcium to magnesium in the soils may give pointers to the choice of liming agents, especially in the liming of low cation exchange capacity soils.

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