380 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



lire of insect-powder in Europe has increased wonderfully, 

 and has been extensively introduced into America. 



Quite recently a second variety of insect-powder has come 

 into notice under the name of Dalmatian Insect-Powder, de- 

 rived from the flowers of the Pyrethrum cineraricefolhim, a 

 plant growing wild in Dalmatia, but whose cultivation is 

 rapidly spreading. This i thought to be decidedly more 

 powerful and more persistent in its action than the other 

 kind, and justifies the higher commercial value. The discoid 

 flowers of the plant are more powerful generally than the 

 radiate ; and as the former are larger, the greater activity of 

 the Dalmatian flowers is due to the larger extent of the dis- 

 coid portion in the Dalmatian plants. It is only after the 

 flowers of the Pyrethrum are dried that their insecticide vir- 

 tues are well developed. When fresh they exercise a slight 

 action, but far inferior to that of the powder. It is said that 

 in Vienna the druggists have on sale the dried flowers en- 

 tire, as they are considered more effective and less liable to 

 adulteration. 14 A, March 5, 1875, 503. 



REMOVAL OF ACID FROM THE SOIL BY OIL-PEODUCING PLANTS. 



It is said that land in the neighborhood of Torgau has been 

 rendered fit for the production of wheat by planting it with 

 rape-seed every two years ; the oil-producing plants, like the 

 cruciferce in general, acting upon the soil like lime in the re- 

 moval of acid. 9 G\July, 1874, 106. 



AUSTRIAN PLAN FOR SUPPLYING AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOKS. 



The need of appropriate text-books for instruction in vari- 

 ous branches in agricultural science is every where very 

 keenly felt. The Austrian Agricultural Ministry has attempt- 

 ed a very practical plan for supplying this want; namely, by 

 offering rewards for authorship. Some ten different text- 

 books for schools of various grades are desired, and sums 

 varying from 900 to 2500 florins are offered for satisfactory 

 manuscripts, the authors being allowed, in addition, whatever 

 may be received therefor from the publishers. 



CONTINUED SUPPLY OF GUANO. 



More detailed accounts of a report which has been pre- 

 viously referred to, made by the embassador from Peru at 



