154 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



in Ventura County, Cal., in 1910, wliere more than 20 tons were consumed. It 

 was found to be as effective as potassium cyanid, is clieaper, and does not burn 

 damp and cold foliage and fruit as readily. 



Insecticides and insect control, H. J. Quayle {California 8ta. Circ. 66, pp. 

 7). — Directions are given for the preparation and use of some 28 insecticides. 



[A pest inspection act in Colorado] (In Laws Passed 18. Sess. Gen. Assemhly 

 Colo. Denver, 1911, irp. J/So-^GO). — This act provides for the formation of pest 

 inspection districts, under the general authority of the state entomologist. 



FOODS— HUMAN NUTRITION. 



Deterioration of eggs as shown by changes in the moisture content, A. D. 

 Greenlee {U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Chem. Circ. 83, pp. 7, dgms. 2). — ^A preliminary 

 account is given of experiments in which the loss in moisture content of eggs 

 was studied with relation to the age or condition of the egg. White Leghorn 

 eggs 24 hours old, when the experiments began, were kept in a crate at 32° 

 F. under commercial conditions and examined at intervals of from 1 to 3 

 moDths, while other samples were kept in pasteboard cartons at a higher tem- 

 perature and examined at intervals of from 3 to 10 days. 



A decrease in moisture was observed in the white, which " appears to be easily 

 accounted for by evaporation to the external atmosphere, but the loss in 

 weight as shown by means of the balance is not sufficient to account for the 

 entire decrease in the percentage of moisture." This fact, together with the 

 increase in moisture which was observed in the yolk, " suggests a transfer 

 of water from white to yolk." 



The author points out that this can not be definitely proved from the data 

 reported with respect to moisture content. The determination of the Reichert- 

 Meissl number of the extracted fat, however, did not indicate an increase of 

 volatile fatty acids. This the author believes shows that there was no volatili- 

 zation of fatty substance. An analysis of the dried sample showed the same 

 percentage of nitrogen as that in the fresh sample calculated to a watei'-free 

 basis, which makes it clear that there was no loss of nitrogenous or proteid mat- 

 ter. " By a process of mathematical calculation it can easily be shown that 

 solids have not passed from the yolk to the white." 



" This phenomenon of a transfer of water from the white to the yolk mny 

 easily be explained by the simple process of osmosis. ... In the egg this pro- 

 cess continues until the vitellin membrane becomes so weak that it breaks, when 

 the white and yolk begin to lose their identity. This action proceeds with such 

 definiteness that by a process of calculation, knowing the original weight of 

 the egg, the loss in moisture to the external atmosphere can be calculated with 

 surprising closeness to the actual loss shown by the balance. . . . 



" The change in water content increases its rate with the temperature and 

 diminishes with the time." 



The author explains his method of calculation and the rate formula which 

 he proposes. With reference to the application of his work, he concludes that 

 " by means of the rate formula and one analysis of a sample of eggs it is 

 possible to predict the condition of the eggs at any temperature for any given 

 date within a reasonable holding period. The rate multiplied by the time gives 

 the loss in weight, from which data it is a simple matter to find the percentage 

 of moisture remaining." 



Concerning the extractive material in beef kidney, K. Bebeschin (Ztschr. 

 Physiol. Chem., 72 (Wll), No. .5-6, pp. 880-386). — Carnosin, methylguanidin, 

 and carnitin, which are characteristic of striated muscular tissue, were not 



