52 SOIL SCIENCE [BoT. Absts., Vol. X, 



PHYSIOLOGY OF DISEASE 



310. LuMifeRE, AuGusTE, ET Henri Couturier. L'anaphylaxic chez les vegetaux. [Ana- 

 phylaxis in plants.] Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 172: 1313-1315. Fig. 1-3. 1921.— Three 

 experiments were made: (1) Of 4 leaves of equal size on a wild sorrel plant 2 were injected with 

 0.01 CO. horse serum. Observing no difference after 1 month, the same 2 leaves were reinjected 

 and also 1 of the control leaves treated with 0.3 cc. senma. The reinjected leaves succxmibed 

 within 5 days. (2) Of 3 hyacinths growing in the same pot 2 were injected with 0.02 cc. horse 

 serum, and as these remained healthy for 3 weeks, the control bulb and 1 of those previously 

 treated were given each a dose of 0.25 cc, the reinjected bulb succumbing 11 days later. (3) 

 An experiment with ass serum on onion bulbs gave results comparable to the preceding. — 

 It is inferred that a state of anaphylaxis may be established in plants. — B. M. Duggar. 



MISCELLANEOUS 



311. Agree, S. F., R. R. Mellon, P. M. Avery, and E. A. Slagle. A stable single 

 buffer solution. Jour. Infect. Diseases 29 : 7-10. 1921 . — The authors suggest a mixture having 

 components whose dissociation constants are so graded than when the titration curve of one 

 component ends the next begins. This gives a continuous smooth curve covering a wide, 

 range of Ph values. — The components, as employed in the buffer solution, are: (1) 1 mol. of 

 KH2PO4, with a Ka of 1.1 X 10"^; (2) f mol. of sodium formate, with a Ka of 2 X lO"*; (3) 

 f mol. of sodium acetate, with a Ka of 2 X lO"""; (4) the 2nd group of K2HPO4, with a Ka of 

 2 X 10"'; (5) 1 mol. of sodium phenol sulphonate, with a Ka of approximately 10""^°; (6) 

 M/200 thymol to saturation (for HoO, 0.08), with an approximate Ka of 0.5 X lO"!"; (7) the 

 3rd group of H3PO4 with a Ka of lO"'^, — Xo obtain any desired Ph it is only necessary to locate 



M 



the point on the curve intercepted by the desired Ph value, and read off the amount of y 

 HCl or NaOH necessary to produce this Ph. — Selman A. Waksman. 



312. Bancroft, W. D. [Rev. of: Seidell, Atherton. Solubilities of inorganic and 

 organic compounds. Snd revised ed., 24 X 16 cm., xxii + 843 p. D. Van Nostrand Co.: New 

 York, 1919.] Jour. Phys. Chem. 24: 332. 1920. — "The new edition is very much more valua- 

 ble than the first one and is a book of which the author may well be proud."— 

 Reviewer's summary. 



SOIL SCIENCE 



J. J. Skinner, Editor 

 F. M. Schertz, Assistant Editor 



(See also in this issue Entries 7, 14, 59) 



313. Anonymous. The potash position. Nature 107: 321-322. 1921.— This editorial 

 reviews the supply and consumption of potash. The deposits of Alsace-Loraine are regarded 

 as the most promising for the immediate future. — 0. A, Stevens. 



314. Crouzel, E. De I'emploi des sables ferrugineux en viticulture et en arboriculture. 

 [Concerning the use of ferruginous sand in vinegrowing and in arboriculture.] Repertoire 

 Pharm. 33: 129-131. 1921. — Iron is an essential and indispensable element in plant growth. 

 If not present in suflacient quantity, there is a marked diminution in the power of the plant 

 to resist diseases, especially, those due to cryptogams. It is extensively used in vineyards 

 and orchards. Ferruginous sand is much used on account of its abundance, cheapness, and 

 favorable chemical properties. — M. Dunn. 



315. Davis, W. A. A study of the indigo soils of Bihar. Indigo Publ. Agric. Res. Inst. 

 Pusa 1. 75 p. 1918. — The exhaustion of Bihar indigo soils has been gradual and progressive 

 during the past 20 years. It was first indicated Ijy the gradual failure of the yield of Java 

 indigo seed and then by the rapidly increasing failure of khoonties (2nd cuttings) . The failure 



