references: technology 273 



The bulletin contains an account of an investigation of the natural gas used 

 in the tests of explosives by the Bureau of Mines with the methods used in 

 the exact determination of the constituents of this gas aud the bearing of 

 the results on the use of the gas in testing the relative safety of explosives. 

 The bulletin also contains a description of apparatus and methods used by 

 the bureau for physical tests of explosives and gives results of tests with 

 permissible explosives, dynamite, black powder and 4 permitted explosives. 



The uses of peat for fuel and other purposes. C. A. Davis. Bulletin 16, pp. 214. 

 1911. Contains a discussion of the distribution of peat in the United States, 

 the climatic and surface conditions that govern the accumulation of peat 

 beds,. the various types of plants that contribute to peat deposits; also dis- 

 cusses the physical and chemical properties of peat in relation to its fuel value, 

 and the methods of utilizing peat for fuel both in this country and in Europe. 

 The bulletin also contains a review of the other uses of peat, proximate and 

 ultimate analyses and calorific value of a large number of samples of peat f r om 

 different States, and a selected bibliography of the more important publica- 

 tions on the uses of peat. 



A primer on explosives for coal miners. C. E. Munroe and Clarence Hall. 

 Bulletin 17, pp. 70. 1911. This bulletin is a revised reprint of U. S. Geologi- 

 cal Survey Bulletin 423. Among the subjects treated are combustion and 

 explosion, the composition of explosives, igniting devices, and the proper 

 methods of storing and using explosives. 



Physical and chemical properties of the petroleums of the San Joaquin Valley of Cali- 

 fornia, with a chapter on analyses of natural gas from the oil fields of Southern 

 California. I. C. Allen and W. A. Jacobs and G. A. Burrill. Bulletin 

 19, pp. 60. 1911. Gives a brief description of the methods used in examining a 

 large number of samples of petroleum from the Kern River, Coalinga, McKit- 

 rick, Midway, and Sunset oil fields; a tabular statement of the results of the 

 examination and a detailed description of an electric still designed for the 

 exact fractionation of petroleums in the laboratory. Also contains a brief 

 description of the methods used in determining the constituents of natural 

 gas. 



Alaskan coal problems. W.L.Fisher. Bulletin 36, pp. 32. 1911. Briefly sum- 

 marizes the salient economic features of the Matanuska and Bering River coal 

 fields, and discusses the probable markets for the coal and the advantages and 

 disadvantages of having the coal mined under government leases. 



Specifications for the purchase of oil by the government, with directions for sampling 

 oil and natural gas. I. C. Allen. Technical Paper 3, pp. 13. 1911. Con- 

 tains specifications based on physical properties and heating value, and gives 

 the methods used by representatives of the Bureau of Mines in sampling 

 petroleum or fuel oil and in sampling natural gas. 



The electrical section of the Bureau of Mines, its purpose and equipment. H. H. 

 Clark. Technical Paper 4, pp. 12. 1911. Gives a brief statement of the 

 purposes for which electricity is used in mines and the dangers from electrical 

 equipment; mentions the equipment of the electrical laboratory of the Bureau 

 of Mines experiment station at Pittsburgh, Pa., and summarizes briefly the 

 results of an investigation of the safety of enclosed cartridge fuses. 



