abstracts: technology 225 



black alkali. The best water is found in the northwestern part of the 

 area, in the deepest formations. Irrigation on a small scale is practi- 

 cable west of the fault line. 0. E. M. 



ENGINEERING.— Water powers of the Cascade Range, Part III, 

 Yakima River basin. Glenn L. Parker and Frank B. Storey. 

 U. S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper No. 369. Pp. 1-169, 

 with text figures and illustrations. 1916. 

 This is the third of a series entitled "Water powers of the Cascade 

 Range," prepared by the United States Geological Survey and the 

 Washington State Board of Geological Survey. Part I, containing 

 data on the drainage basins of Klickitat, White Salmon, Little White 

 Salmon, Lewis, and Toutle rivers, in southwestern Washington, was 

 prepared by John C. Stevens and was published in 1910 as Water- 

 Supply Paper 253. Part II, relating to the drainage basins of Cowlitz 

 (except the Toutle), Nisqually, Puyallup, White, Green, and Cedar 

 rivers, on the west side of the Cascade Range, was prepared by Fred 

 F. Henshaw and Glenn L. Parker and was published in 1913 as Water- 

 Supply Paper 313. The Yakima River basin described in this report 

 lies east of the Cascade Range. 



The data on which this report and the others are based consist of 

 stream-flow records, river plans and profiles, reservoir surveys, and 

 field reconnaissances of the rivers and the various tributaries. The 

 physical characteristics, economic conditions, and industrial develop- 

 ment of the region are described rather fully in order that the limitations 

 to the development of power may be more clearly understood. 



G. L. P. 



TECHNOLOGY. — Determination of carbon in steels and irons by direct 

 combustion in oxygen at high temperatures. J. R. Cain and H. E. 

 Cleaves. Bureau of Standards Technologic Paper No. 69. 

 Pp. 10. 1916. 

 A method has been devised for the determination of carbon in steels 

 and irons by direct combustion in oxygen at 950° to 1100° C, finishing 

 above 1450°, so that the oxides of iron are kept fused for several min- 

 utes, in order to give the best possible chance for liberating all the 

 carbon. This method was tested by analyzing various types of plain 

 carbon and alloy steel standards of the Bureau and some of the pig 

 iron standards, and the results obtained for carbon in this way were 

 in the mean about 0.01 per cent carbon above the certificate averages. 



J. R. C. 



